


You Will Be Both

by zhenyilani



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Airbending, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Beifongs with feelings, Bloodbending, Eathbending, F/M, Family Death, Murder, Pressure, Tragedy, high society - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-15
Updated: 2019-01-28
Packaged: 2019-10-10 14:33:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 32,606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17427743
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zhenyilani/pseuds/zhenyilani
Summary: How Lin Beifong became Chief Crankypants and why she built up such tall walls of cold steel around her huge and selfless heart. Featuring: Lao, Poppy, Toph and Suyin Beifong; Tenzin, Kya, Bumi, Katara, and Avatar Aang; Izumi, Iroh II, Izumi's daughter; some creepy nobles, kindly maids, and dumb police officers. Please read it and weep with me and tell me what you think...





	1. 120AG-127AG The Beginnings

In 120 AG Lin Beifong was born unexpectedly to the world renown Chief of Police of Republic City, Toph Beifong. The baby girl wouldbe equally known around the world as the daughter of the Greatest Earthbender in the world and inventor of metalbending, and the granddaughter to Lao Beifong, the founder of the first joint business venture between an Earth Kingdom Citizen and a Fire Nation Citizen. The baby girl instantly became heir to a legacy, and a fortune with a last name that would never be able to escape.

In 126 AG Suyin Beifong was born unexpectedly to the world renown Chief of Police of Republic City, Toph Beifong. The baby girl became the daughter of the Greatest Earthbender in the world and inventor of metalbending, and the granddaughter to Lao Beifong, the founder of the first joint business venture between an Earth Kingdom Citizen and a Fire Nation Citizen. The baby girl seemed to only inherit her mother's last name. Her six year old big sister was already promised the family company and fortune, expected to master earthbending by the age of eleven, and make appearances at the annual celebration commemorating the end of the war.

* * *

** 127 AG **

Little Lin was secretly relieved when Suyin was born, but she wouldn't admit it. Emotions were a weakness, a waste of time and energy that she could use to practice her forms and do an extra round of sparring. She could save her energy for another dreadfully boring meal with an ettiquette tutor because the Spirit world would sooner be engulfed in flames before Toph was ever witnessed by anyone being polite ever softest the Police Chief ever became was civil, and even that was an incredibly generous term. Lin looked forward to being able to share some of her mother's expectations with her little sister.

"We could train together and braid hair and go to the parks on the afternoons that Mom has to pull a double shift. We could be best friends, you and me, what do you think?" Lin asked her baby sister.

"Come on, kid. It is time to get back to training." Lin took a deep breath and followed her mother outside lazily. Her mother tied a blindfold around her next.

"Remember to feel the earth. It is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye.[1]" Toph yelled raising a rock out of the ground for Lin to pounce on like a human version of whack a mole. Lin ran after earth mound after earth mound. Then when she pounced on the next, Toph bent it up, striking her child softly enough in the face to not break anything or bruise too badly, but enough to hurt.

"Ow!" Lin cried out ripping off the blindfold, rubbing the bridge of her nose and her forehead, tears stinging her eyes.

"You should have seen that coming!" Toph scolded. "Tell me what you did wrong!" Toph barked sternly with her hands on her hips.

"The rock was levitating! How could have possibly seen it with my feet. Seismic sense deals with vibrations IN the Earth!" Lin cried out loud.

"Earth is earth, Lin. Whether or not it is floating shouldn't make a difference! And ENOUGH crying! This is the third time this week! I thought I birthed an earthbender, not a tearbender. Get your act together, or you will never reach your full potential. Are you a Beifong or did the healers switch my real daughter with someone else at birth?" Toph asked.

Lin's body shook with fury. Her lip quivered and her lower eyelashes grew heavy with tears, but her dusty hand wiped them away before they could fall. Toph smirked.

"DO IT ALREADY!"

Lin's heart rate had increased drastically. Her faced turned red, but Toph wouldn't have been able to see.

"EARTHBEND, LINNY! LIKE YOU MEAN IT! PROVE TO ME YOU'RE NOT WEAK!" Toph yelled trying to encourage her girl to fight more courageously and more liberally.

Lin raised a rock almost as big as herself and launched it at her mother who effortlessly slid to the side on a mastery level earth wave with her hands folded neatly behind her back. It became a chase. Lin was out for revenge, but her six-year-old's attacks were pathetic against the Greatest Earthbender In the World.

Lin finally fell on her hands and knees in fatigued delirium. " _I give up! You win!_ " she cried letting her tears fall freely, looking up with pleading eyes at her mother who still wore her armor, until the minute she had to shower and then sleep.

"Lin Beifong, listen to me, for I will only ever say this once, and I shouldn't ever have to say it again. _Never_ give up. You are not weak. You just need to learn when to wait and listen. I know earthbenders are supposed to face things head-on, but if you know I am going to run you into the ground, It would be smarter to wait until I wore myself out before striking," Toph said crouching down on the ground, lifting her daughter to her feet again, gently.

"It's not fair. You never tire."

"Well you know what, Linny? Life isn't fair. I'm not going to lie to you ever. I won't falsely lead you to believe anything worthwhile will come easy. I won't risk your heart breaking when you're faced with reality," Toph explained. "Now, lets go inside and have dinner. I had Gong pick up pork chive dumplings."

"Dumplings aren't healthy, Mom."

"I got steamed, not fried this time. Now shut up and be grateful you have food on the table and sweet earth beneath your feet."

"What about a bed in which to sleep and a roof over our heads?" Lin asked smartly.

Toph frowned and lifted her hand, bending a bed, and then both hands to make two walls of a tent. "Lin, the earth is all you will ever need."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Notes:
> 
> I thought I might explore how Lin may have become the jaded, cranky, sad, cynical Chief of Police that the show portrays her as. The Chief of Police whose heart is bigger than the sun, but is hidden behind a wall of cold, neglected steel. Why does this woman sacrifice herself for others after they hurt/betray her time and time again, lie to her face, and disrespect her openly.
> 
> Let me know what you think! If I should continue or not... because I am not really good at writing emotions... and I think if this continues, it might include some heavy stuff... I honestly don't know if this idea is worth pursuing... All criticism is welcomed and greatly appreciated.
> 
> [1]"The Little Prince" by Antoine de St. Exupéry


	2. 132-134AG Return from Gaoling

** 132AG **

"Lin, Su, as you have probably heard, we have finally identified a major crime boss in the city that has only been getting stronger in the past few years," Toph said to her daughters.

"Yakone?"

"Yes. If the rumors are true about what he is, then none of us, especially you two are safe in Republic City,"

"Mom, just spit it out already."

"I am sending you two to Gaoling. You'll stay with your grandparents until this is all over. I am so sorry it has to be this way." Toph said with tears in her eyes.

"They aren't the nicest people in the world, but if you just do as they say, life will be easier there than here for the time being."

"What about Tenzin and Kya and Bumi?"

"They'll go to Ember Island and stay with Fire Lady Mai. Zuko is coming here to help with the case." Toph replied.

"Why can't we go with them?" Lin asked remembering all of the horrible stories her mother told them about her childhood.

"Because Lin, you and Su are my entire world! I know I may not act like it most of the time, but I love you, and I want you to be safe more than anything. Aang doesn't realize the numbers this guy Yakone has at his command. I am the Chief of Police. I have killed some of his most capable hit men, and he is angry with me. If he gets to you for revenge, I know I would not be able to cope, and I would never forgive myself. Ember Island is not far enough away for me to be assured of your safety from his gang. Believe me, if there was another way, I would have found it by now, but this is our only option. I'm sorry," Toph said hugging her twelve and six year old daughters with tears in her eyes.

The three donned coats and hoods and went to the train station first thing the next morning. "Before you go," Toph said pulling some stuff out of the pocket of her coat. She put a dark meteor bracelet on each of their left arms, and steel cuffs on their forearms. "Protect each other, alright?" Toph ordered kissing them each on the head.

"Gaoling is about fourteen hours away by train. I've packed you guys some dried ramen for a snack, but you'll have to buy food on the way. I booked a first class cabin for you two so you can have privacy. Don't speak to anyone on the train, except the conductor, do you understand?"

Both girls nodded.

Toph pulled out two green and gold passports with the golden seal of the flying boar.

"Don't loose these, and don't let anyone but the conductor see. And when you arrive in Gaoling, either Lao Beifong or, Yongbo Xu will receive you, got it?"

"Yes, Mom," Lin said stowing hers and her sister's passport in the pocket of her coat.

"Protect each other," Toph ordered with one hand on each daughter.

"Mom?" Lin asked.

"Yes?" Toph replied with tears in her unseeing eyes.

"Be safe," Lin begged her mother. Toph nodded and held held each of their faces against her body for a few minutes each before the conductor blew his whistle.

"LAST CALL FOR THE 8AM TRAIN SOUTHBOUND FOR GAOLING!" the conductor yelled. Toph metalbent him by his belt buckle to her side. She lifted her hood just enough to reveal her murky green eyes and her black headband that bore the emblem of the Police Force.

"Chief Beifong?"

"Yes." Toph replied standing up taller, speaking with a harder, colder tone of voice than she had used only moments ago. "These two will be sitting in first class, and your job is to make sure nobody knows they are on this train. Do you understand?"

"Yes,"

"They get off at Gaoling."

* * *

**134AG**

"Mom! You said Lin was coming back today!" Tenzin said linking his arm with his mother's as they entered the ballroom. It was the Four Nations Celebration commemorating the end of the Hundred Year War. Tenzin could not have been more excited. Two years had passed since the last time he saw his best friend. They had all been separated so abruptly when it became known that Yakone was a bloodbender, able to control people on every day of the month except on full moons. Their parents took two years to apprehend him, his second and third hand in command, and enough of the gang's leadership to dissolve it and return the city to relative peace once again.

"Look! There's Chief Beifong!" Tenzin said pointing at the original metalbender.

"She's still wearing her uniform? Really?" Katara sighed in disapproval as they approached the original metalbender.

"Sugar Queen, Junior," Toph said bowing her head to each of them.

"It's been so long!" Tenzin said hugging the Chief while Katara smiled.

"Yep! It has!" Toph said planting her large hand firmly on his bald head removing him from her body without returning any form of affection while Katara smiled. "Linny won't be happy with you,"

"Why?" Tenzin asked, fear consuming every cell in his body.

"Because you're taller than her now," Toph replied, the ends of her mouth curling into a smile. Katara and Lin laughed as Tenzin let out a sigh of relief.

"Ahhh if only you could hear you son's heart racing Sugar Queen," Toph said rubbing her unseeing eyes through tears of laughter.

"That's not funny!"

"That you like her?"

"I don't-" Tenzin began defensively.

"It's okay, Tenzin. It is a perfectly normal feeling. After all, you are fifteen now. These feelings are natural." Katara said placing a hand on Tenzin's shoulder.

"Where is Lin anyways, Aunt Toph?" Tenzin asked.

"Her grandmother wanted to change her dress for the fifth time this evening. I'mm blind! I don't care about what I wear!"

"Is that why you're still in your uniform?" Katara asked with a knowing smirk.

"Hey! At least I changed my underclothes, so I shouldn't smell as badly as I normally do!" Toph said. "Now if you excuse me, I heard Snoozles was going to be here and I am looking forward to beating his ass in our annual cactus juice drinking contest," Toph said punching her right fist into the palm of her left hand with a devious grin.

"Toph! What kind of example setting for the children?!" Katara asked.

"I am Chief of Police, not a school teacher/child wrangler," Toph said shrugging as she walked away.

"But you're still a Mom!" Katara called after her.

"Whatever," Toph said waving.

Katara sighed. "She is a grown woman and she gets her job done," Katara whispered to herself as a form of reassurance that everything will be okay.

"Master Katara, Mr. Tenzin," a voice said. They both looked forward to see a young fourteen year old girl dressed in green, creme silks robes accented with little pink flowers and a cumbersome but elegant looking headpiece that displayed short chains of pearls, emeralds, morganites, opals, peridot and onyx beads. Her delicate heart shaped face had been dusted with a fine nearly white colored powder and makeup had been brushed over her eyelids, and her lips, painted a glossy pink. She stood with the saddest, expressionless face they had ever seen. It was as if she were being weighed down by heavy iron chains like a prisoner.

"L-Lin?" Tenzin asked, completely stunned by her appearance. Her neck looked longer, but Toph was right, they were no longer the same height. This difference gave him a whole new view of his best friend who now had to look up at him to meet his eyes.

She gave him a small smile, glad that he was able to recognize her after her miserable transformation.

"I'll leave you two to catch up," Katara said to Tenzin before taking her leave to go mingle with other social elites at the celebration.

Before Tenzin could say something more intelligible. Lin was nearly knocked over by Kya and Bumi who sandwiched the girl in a bonebreaking hug while her eyes widened in terror.

"Lin! It's so good to see you!" Kya said kissing Lin on the side of her forehead after a short-lived fight with Lin's beaded headdress.

"How's our favorite little grumpy pebble?" Bumi asked.

"You look different, Lin" Izumi said calmly approaching the group of old friends. Being the Princess she was, she never made public displays of affection especially at such important formal gatherings as this.

"Yeah! Did your Granny's closet barf on you?" Kya asked.

"Or did you you trip and hit your head, stepping off the train from Gaoling?"

"Hit your head or something?"

"Maybe she did! She hasn't even punched me yet! So, how was your stay with your grandparents?" Bumi asked clapping her on the back. Lin winced as if it actually hurt which had Bumi concerned. her left hand flew to her mouth, and her right hand pressed on her diaphragm. Usually Lin would just hit Bumi right back and call him an idiot for being Bumi, but this time, she remained silent. Only then did Tenzin see just how small her waist was behind her billowing silk sleeves as she struggled to catch her breath after Bumi's playful strike.

"It... hasn't ended." She said quietly once she had recovered enough air to speak. She turned around to face her grandfather with apologetic eyes as he looked down on the group with disdain.

"A word, Lin," Lao Beifong said. She looked like she was in trouble. "Please excuse us, children."

"I am sorry, Grandfather," she said following him from the hall.

"Sorry, Lin. I didn't mean to get you in trouble! Please don't get mad at her! She can't control me!" Bumi begged the Earth Kingdom Nobleman.

"You all stay away from my granddaughter!" Lao growled at Bumi.

"Does he know who we are?" Kya asked standing beside Bumi with her hands on her hips.

"Who does he think HE is?" Izumi asked with disbelief.

"I don't know, but I don't like him," Bumi said folding his arms, tapping his foot on the marble. "Hey Tenz, you wanna get some punch?" Bumi asked changing the subject.

Tenzin punched his brother this time surprising all of his friends with such uncharacteristic airbender behavior.

"What were you thinking hugging her in FRONT of her grandparents?!" Tenzin yelled.

"Hey how was I supposed to know Old Man Beifong was such a stiff bigot?" Bumi asked innocently raising his hands.

"Didn't you listen to ANY of Dad's stories?" Tenzin asked boiling with rage.

"Most of them were so damn boring that I gave up listening a long time ago." Bumi replied.

"You guys are such- UGH!" Tenzin yelled storming off. He ducked into the hall and hid behind a pillar, getting ready to strike if necessary to protect his best friend from her family.

"I am sorry, Grandfather. I will try to dodge them next time," Lin promised her grandfather, to try to appease him.

"Trying isn't good enough. Those vagabonds have no right to come within ten feet of you, and even then, they should fall on their knees before you. You are above them. You and your mother both _claim_ to be able to sense people's presence with your feet. You can avoid them," Lao sneered.

Lin's lip twitched in fury, and Tenzin could feel the ground begin to quiver slightly.

"Those vagabonds are my friends and you have no right to call them that! Three of them are the children of Avatar Aang and Master Katara and the other girl is the FIRE PRINCESS!"

"I thought Avatar Aang only had once son, Tenzin. At least he seems polite enough," Lao said.

"You've been misinformed, Grandfather!" Lin snapped.

Tenzin could see tiny fissures forming in the granite tiles of the hall.

"Lin, we are only enforcing these rules for your best interests. If you are going to boast our name in the world, you must be able to present yourself honorably and properly avoid these embarrassing interactions."

Lin scoffed and folded her arms, pouting. "I don't boast my last name. I don't care about my last name. It's just a stupid name! Take it away if you're so embarrassed to be related to me. If this is what it mean's to be a Beifong, I'm fine giving it up. Let Suyin carry your precious reputation. I can go gamble in the Fire Nation and become the next Runaway!" Lin growled walking away from Lao, cracking a tile with each step. Tenzin held his breath, hoping she wouldn't notice. As she passed his pillar, she reached over, grabbing him by the front of his dress robes out of City Hall.

"L-Lin?" Tenzin asked nervously tripping over his own feet to keep up with her pace as he kept glancing back at Lao Beifong who didn't even bother to pursue his grand daughter.

"Call Oogi," she demanded releasing him once they were on the front steps of the building.

"We're just going to leave?" he asked pulling out his bison whistle. "Not to the Fire Nation I hope?"

"No, I would never leave my Mom like that. I just- need time to think, and breathe," she said struggling against the confines of her dress, her hands on her waist again.

Tenzin looked down at her body as he blew the whistle. She still looked very much like a girl, but her limbs were longer, and her torso sloped inward to her waist then outward again over hips that he never noticed before. Then he looked over her shoulder to see her forming chest rising and falling with every labored breath. She was typically bound nearly flat, but he could still see the movement of her lungs in her body.

"Are you crying?" Tenzin asked.

Lin turned to face him. In the moonlight, he could see tears weighing down the lashes on her lower eyelids, but he knew they wouldn't fall. They would remain frozen there until they crystallized into a residue that she could wipe away dryly. Even before she left for Gaoling, she had never cried as long as he knew her. "I can't breathe in this STUPID dress! They say it is the latest fashion in the Upper Ring of Ba Sing Se and that it will help my marriageability prospects or SOMETHING!" Lin ranted finally as Oogi landed in the courtyard before them.

"Wait what? You're only fourteen! And they're trying to marry you off already?!" Tenzin asked. He had to admit, it hurt him to hear such a thing. He always assumed he would be the one to- oh, they were still young.

Lin kicked her shoes off and chucked them into Oogi's saddle. She lifted her skirts and looked down at her aching feet, curling her toes into the dirt before stomping, commanding the earth to launch her into the saddle.

"Take me away from the hell I'm living in!" Lin begged him holding onto the railing. Tenzin jumped onto Oogi's head with a little, swirly tornado, and took his bison's reins.

"To Makapu, old boy. Yip yip!" he yelled as the bison groaned and began their moonlight ascent.

 


	3. 134AG Moonlight Stroll

**134 AG**

"Mother, as I have to call her now, has for some reason agreed it would be a good idea that I learn high society etiquette in addition to earthbending!" Lin exclaimed laying down in the saddle with one foot up most rebelliously. Tenzin said nothing.

Once they reached the ruined city, they both slid off of Oogi. For the second time that night, Tenzin examined her, feeling more comfortable without the stares of everyone around them. She looked beautiful. Her grandparents had even gone ahead and pieced her ears. He noticed how strangely rigid the dress made her look. There most had been some sort of board or something around her torso that made her spine bend a certain way. Her breathing was restricted to the upper part of her lungs allowing her to only take short, shallow breaths. Her arms were bent at the elbows, hands clasped delicately in front of her body just below her waist. Her eyes hung low but her chin was held high. She couldn't look more miserable.

"I thought Aunt Toph hated etiquette. Why is she making you learn it?" Tenzin asked with furrowed brows.

"'It's a good thing to know', apparently. 'just in case!'" she shrugged as they continued on through the desolate ruins. "And I should be grateful I'm still allowed to earthbend!" Lin added throwing her hands in the air in frustration.

"I'm sorry-" Tenzin said. He couldn't think of what else to say. His parents taught him to be respectful to his elders and kind to his friends, but they were close. They didn't have to bow to friends at every meeting or call each other Mr. and Miss. It had been nearly two years since he last saw his best friend, and she couldn't even give him or Aunt Katara a hug. Then she got lectured for receiving a hug from Kya and Bumi that she didn't even initiate.

"...and avoiding them is not enough. Grandfather didn't believe me when I told him Avatar Aang had other children. He's such a narrow-" she slid her foot forward and hand taking an earthbending stance, splitting the road they were on right down the middle. "-minded-" she dropped it sinking it into the ground. "-little-" she turned her foot and punched with her other hand and repaired the road by bending a slab of earth out of the side of the gauge she just tore into the ground and walked on it smoothing her skirts again folding her arms in the wide long sleeves. "SHIT!" She took a deep breath, and sighed. "They'll kill me for ruining this dress that cost more than Air Temple Island cost to build, but I don't care," Lin replied.

"If it helps any, I think you look beautiful tonight-" Tenzin said nervously, looking down at her exposed neck and clavicle.

Her head snapped up and she frowned at him.

"I'm sorry-" he said quickly.

She turned away from him and looked forward again, her features softening a little. "Don't be, just don't ever tell them what you think of me. They'll view it as encouragement. To keep— changing me."

"I thought you didn't care what you looked like-"

"I don't-"

"Then what is wrong with wearing a dress? You know who you are, right? I know who you are. At least, I like to think I do. You're strong and brave, defiant yet loyal all at the same time. You're an incredible earthbender and a beautiful lady- it can't be so bad,"

"You think so?" She asked looking up at him with those frozen tears making her green eyes shine even brighter in the moonlight.

"Yeah!"

"I guess your right. The dress itself is not so bad. Maybe just how they feel the need to have to teach me how to wear it. Maybe it's just everything else that bothers me. Sitting up straight, not being to show any affection in public OR private... not that I have any affection for those people I have to call my grandparents," Lin sighed rolling her eyes. Her shoulders slumped slightly. She was loosening up.

"Can I help in any way? We could practice together!" Tenzin said jumping in front of her folding his hands like how he had seen dignitaries from Ba Sing Se do. "I've always wondered what it's like to be an Earth Kingdom Noblemen do!" He cleared his throat. "Excuse me, Lady Beifong, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance this evening!" Tenzin said bowing low and clumsily.

Lin laughed. She laughed harder than she had in two years. "May I have this dance?" He asked extending a hand.

"You look stupid, Ten. First, you're not supposed to move so quickly when you bow. It's a slow movement meant to show respect- not just some wag of the head like the tail of an eel hound!" Lin scoffed at him demonstrating. "Like so!" She said bending at the hips slowly with her head down before rising again. "And secondly, there is no dancing among Earth Kingdom nobility apparently. Dancing is what peasants do after hitting the cactus juice."

"Thats horrible! It sounds like that Fire Nation town our parents went to when they traveled the world! The one where they threw a secret dance party in a cave for the students!" Tenzin exclaimed

"Exactly!" Lin exclaimed agreeing with him. "It is interesting. I've noticed so many similarities between Earth Kingdom court etiquette and the Fire Nation's. It is a wonder why they don't get a along. Even now though Grandfather tolerated Loban, his business partner for decades he still despised him."

"I thought noblemen weren't supposed to ever complain-"

"Quite the contrary! It is sport to them. They are all avid gossipers. The men and the women. It's silly that the men still think they're above their ladies, but they're just as petty!" Lin huffed blowing a tendril out of her face.

Tenzin laughed. He looked down at her again. Old Lin was starting to show through beneath the silks and face paint. She saw right through everyone's fakery. She was honest and good and when she was with him, she wasn't afraid to show her true feelings.

"So, lady training aside, how is earthbending. Have you started metal yet?"

Lin raised an eyebrow at him. "I mastered earth by eleven as was expected of me. Mom still hates my metalbending, but honestly, did anyone expect anything short of that from the inventor of metalbending? It is like I will never get it right according to her."

"I think you will!" Tenzin said putting an arm around her shoulders encouragingly. She leaned on his chest as they continued walking down the main street of the ruined city.

"I hope so. I don't have much time."

"Is there really a deadline?"

"Yeah. Mom wants me to have mastered metalbending before coming to the Police Academy when I am sixteen,"

"So it has been decided then? You're joining the police?" Tenzin asked.

Lin shrugged. "What else can I do? Become a florist? An herbalist?" Lin asked shrugging. "Disgrace my family?"

Tenzin sighed. He knew that feeling all too well. They had that in common. High achieving family.

"I am Lin Beifong, daughter of the Toph Beifong, the Greatest Earthbender in the world, and sole founder of Metalbending; and some dumb fuck that knocked her up fourteen years ago. And according to my grandfather, somehow I have to do something to redeem my family's honor after my mother slandered it by just helping to save the world from being engulfed in flames," Lin said sarcastically. She became sad again. "They HATE me," Lin sighed.

"Your grandparents?" Tenzin asked.

"Yes. They don't care if I have feelings or needs and desires. All they care about is their stupid reputation. I asked them one day 'why even bother training me. If I'm already a bastard and such a disgrace', do you really want me bearing your 'good name' and running your company?" Lin explained.

"What did they said?"

"-'Young lady, that's just how things are done.'-" Lin growled narrowing her eyes, focusing on some nondescript piece of dust on the ground.

"I'm sorry,"

Tenzin hugged her. She returned his hug inhaling the scent of his formal robes.

"I missed you soooooooo much!" she confessed gathering the back of his cape in her hands, letting some of her iron walls come down in his arms.

"I missed you more," Tenzin replied bending over to lean his head on her shoulder, trying to avoid her ridiculously impractical headdress.

Just then there was the sound of a beast grumbling, and the two young people broke apart.

"Oh no! It's Appa!" Lin said running to hide.

"Hey! My Dad's not going to be mad at you-" Tenzin said running after her casually.

"No Airhead! Look. He's not alone!" Lin replied in a panic, yanking him behind the pillar with her.

The avatar jumped off the head of Oogi and helped Lao Beifong from the saddle.

"Lin, honey, I know you're back there," Aang said with his inviting, and gentle voice walking slowly towards their hiding place as one would approach a wounded stray kitten.

Lin didn't move. She trapped Tenzin between her back and the wall not trusting him to not move if he were free, and possibly giving away their location.

"Your mother taught me seismic sense; I know exactly where you are, Linny," Aang said.

"Shit!" Lin whispered. "I forgot about that."

"Lin Beifong-" Lao called sternly.

Tenzin looked down and swore he saw Lin wince at the sound of her last name.

"Come on. It's getting late. I know how you guys love Makapu, but it's getting chilly out," Aang said.

"Just tell me where she is and I'll get her myself!" Lao said impatiently.

Aang sighed. "I've known Lin for a long time, she responds much better to kindness than anything." Aang said. "We have to be patient with her."

"It is not a lady's place to set the pace!" Lao yelled walking over to the direction that Avatar Aang was looking. He nearly fainted when he saw Tenzin backed against the wall behind the pillar and Lin's back pressed against his chest as if he would provide her protection.

"What—" He didn't even finish his sentence before grabbing her by her skinny little arm. "We are going to have a long and serious talk young lady WITH you AND your mother! We can't have you getting a bastard in your belly now-"

"GRANDFATHER! We are not even doing anything! He's my friend! Let go! Let go!"

"Mr. Beifong I can testify that my son is innocent. They've been friends since infancy and Tenzin would never do anything that would harm Lin or her reputation in any way!" Aang said with frustration.

"What happens behind closed doors, or stone pillars... matters not. People will be creative with what they see, and that creativity is where the true danger lies. This is why young ladies must grow up in very STRICT environments where NOTHING is open to interpretation!" La

Lin whispered as her grandfather dragged her towards Appa.

"Ten, you'll meet me at home okay?"

"Wait, Dad!"

"Yes?"

"Tell Lao about Bumi and Kya!"

"What about them?"

"He thinks I'm you're only son and chewed Lin out because they hugged her tonight."

Lin looked at him with pleading eyes. _SHUT UP BALDY!_ Her face screamed silently.

"Lin cannot control the actions of others! You have no right to get mad at her for what my other son and my daughter did. They've been friends since before you even met your grandchild and they love each other like family!" Aang said.

Lin looked like she was going to have a panic attack or something. He felt the ground beginning to shake around him as fear consumed her being.

"Appa, yip yip!" Aang said. The older bison lifted himself off the ground and flew away.

"I'm sorry, Lin," Tenzin said to her shrinking figure in the moonlight. He found her shoes in the saddle of his bison. _Maybe I should stop by the Beifong Estate to drop them off_. Her outfit cost more than Air Temple Island? So the shoes must be worth something.

Toph opened the door.

"Hey Kid," she said informally.

"Hi Aunt Toph, I'm just returning Lin's shoes. They were in Oogi's saddle," Tenzin replied. Toph patted his bald head and took the shoes and tossed them by the side of the door, carelessly.

"Understandable. It's not like anyone can see if I'm barefeet under those stupid dresses. I'm surprised Linny didn't just tear off the soles." Toph sighed.

"Will she be okay? I think may have gotten her in trouble with Lao-"

"Lin will be fine. She's asleep now. She's a tough cookie, you know that. But I do appreciate your concern for her. She doesn't have many people she can call a friend," Toph said.

Tenzin threw his arms around the police Chief.

"Huh? What's this for?" She asked patting his back awkwardly.

"With Lin in Gaoling, I didn't really have a reason to come over here as often as before, and I guess I just missed you too!" Tenzin said.

Toph laughed.

"Jeez you airheads are mushy. Well, have a safe flight home Twinkletoes junior."

"Thanks Aunt Toph! Sleep well, tonight!"

"Eh! I gotta head back to the station soon, but nonetheless, goodnight!"

 


	4. 134AG Toph's Decision

Lin stood behind the chair by her vanity while her grandmother tied her bindings. "You will not be seeing that boy again, Lin. I forbid it!" Poppy said sternly.

"I don't understand. How could you disapprove of him being my friend? He's the son of the AVATAR and the first airbender born in over a hundred years, and he just happens to like me as much as I like him. He doesn't care about my name. He doesn't need your money and has no interest in trying to steal your fortune! His legacy is even greater than the Earth King's! What more do you want from me?" Lin yelled at her grandmother.

"Lin, calm yourself," Poppy ordered turning the fourteen year old around, wrapping her bindings over her forming chest. "His legacy is far from perfect. His father may be the avatar, but he DID abandon the world for a hundred years, letting it descend into chaos."

"But he Mom, Aunt Katara, Uncle Sokka and Fire Lord Zuko still saved it! What was left of it! If it weren't for their efforts, you'd be kissing Ozai's feet right now!" Lin said. Poppy turned Lin and slapped her.

"You will cease this pointless defiance or we won't let you leave the house until you agree to forget this little bald boy!" Poppy said.

"But he's my best friend!" Lin cried turning around again, causing the bindings to loosen once more.

Poppy sighed in frustrtion and turned her again, gripping the laces a little more firmly pulling the bindings tighter than usual and tying off the knot.

"Best friends- all friends are merely a distraction to your duties as a lady in the Beifong Family. You will need to get married soon and-"

"Then maybe I don't want to be a Beifong! And I won't marry until I have a job first! I don't NEED anyone taking care of to take care of me! I can take care of myself!" Lin yelled walking over to the trunk from Gaoling yanking out robe after robe, tossing them on the floor until finally finding a basic beige tunic, pair of green shorts, a shirt and a brown leather belt to hold it all in place.

"Where do you think you're going today? We have to meet the Lady Ming at noon for tea!"

"I'm going to Air Temple Island!" Lin said bending her metal cuffs onto her forearms. "Lin!" Poppy yelled. Lin ignored her grandmother and pulled on her shorts and threw her shirt and tunic over her head. She was bending the belt on by its buckle when Lao walked in.

"Where do you think you're going?" Lao asked seeing Lin in her training clothes, throwing various objects into a mail bag that she pulled out from under her bed.

"Air Temple Island! Where I won't get ridiculed for existing!" Lin replied grabbing her Kyoshi fans to practice with later.

"I don't think so!" Lao said moving towards her. Lin balled her hand into a fist bending the cuff into a blade as long as her arm.

"Then stop me, grandfather! I dare you! I may not be the greatest earthbender in the world, but I can still hold my own against most! And you're not even a bender!" She growled. He said nothing. She shoved her way past him, walking out of their estate before breaking into a run as soon as she reached the gate. She ran pulling every pin out of her hair on the way, bending them into a single metal sphere that she shoved into her mailbag carelessly. She didn't stop to breathe until she was safely on the ferry and far away from her grandparents. The ferry gave her nausea every time she rode it but the discomfort was worth being able to see Tenzin again.

She ran up the stairs from the dock, taking them four at a time, heading straight for meditation pavilion where she knew he would be at that time of day and leaped into Tenzin's arms.

"Bumi! Kya!" She yelled shrugging them as well when they appeared.

"I haven't seen you run that fast since you found out your mom was in labor," Bumi commented.

"That party was lit last night! Amirite?" Kya asked.

"Looks like someone hit the cactus juice a little hard," Lin said with a snarky little laugh.

"Sorry about last night, Ten told me about your grandparents being there and all," Bumi said placing a hand on Lin's shoulder.

"Thanks, Bumi." Lin replied.

"It's good to finally see the old Lin again.

"How did you get away?" Tenzin asked.

"On foot, running as fast as I could," Lin replied tucking a strand of loose hair behind her ear casually. "Hey Tenz, can I talk to you and your Dad? I need his help, with something."

"Okay. Sure. Lemme get him." Tenzin replied running towards the temple.

"So, how was Makapu last night? Have you done anything... yet?" Bumi asked as Kya roared with laughter.

"SHUT IT BUMI!" Lin yelled earthbending him into a bush while he just laughed.

"Dad said you can come now!" Tenzin called.

"You have to talk to my grandparents they're CRAZY Uncle Aang!" Lin said.

"There's the Little Linny we all know!" Aang said with a smile.

"Please! They hate Bumi and Kya and they said I can never see Tenzin again because of last night. We didn't even do anything! They said that friends are just a distraction to duty AND they want me to get married soon and... and... I'm only fourteen!" Lin explained.

"Married? What does Toph day about all this?" Aang asked, shocked at how soon they were pressing the issue, but at the same time, not at all surprised.

"Nothing. I haven't even told her. She just doesn't seem to care! She's so busy being Chief of Police that she never has time for Su or me. When she is home she just pounds us into the ground then has us dig ourselves out and then she goes back to work!" Lin replied. "You're all I have right now. You and Tenzin... and I don't want to lose you both!" Lin said wrapping her arms around the avatar.

"There there, Lin. I am not sure I can change your grandparents, but I can try to talk them into easing up a bit. Maybe we can come to an agreement. Like you coming over three days a week or something-"

"Or every day. I was born on this island. It was my home for the decade before Mom shipped me away."

"It was for your own safety. Yakone was powerful even in prison. And don't feel sad about that. Tenzin, Kya and Bumi had to go too, you know."

"At least they had each other, and they got to hang out with Izumi on Ember Island! I got to be lectured daily on how much of a screw-up my mother was according to them and how I have to be the one to redeem my family's honor."

"You sound like Uncle Zuko when you talk about redeeming your family's honor," Aang said trying to be funny. Her scowl only sharpened.

"This isn't funny!" Lin shrieked slamming her fists on the table, kneeling on her chair, cracking the floors.

"Sorry," Aang couldn't but be amused by the girl. "You know, you're just like Tenzin sometimes," Aang chuckles.

"How? He's the most calm person the world!" Lin replied. "I'm like boiling oil, ready to catch flames or explode-" Lin replied frowning and folding her arms.

"Ah but you're both so serious! Maybe we need to have Uncle Sokka come up, or go visit him in the South Pole, he could always make you laugh in times like this," Aang said.

Lin only pouted even more.

When Lin got home that night, her grandparents ignored her as they ate dinner with Suyin. She was eight years old. She liked them for some STRANGE reason. She did everything they said. She sat up straight obeyed. She didn't speak unless spoken to. She didn't run or play, when they were around. She had impeccable self control, and she was the better earthbender, ready to start on metal at eight years old while Lin didn't start until she was ten.

Lin showered and dried her hair, pulled on her new silk night gown that was ridiculously as expensive as the sword by Master Piandao sword that Sokka got her for her thirteenth birthday. And Lin went to bed.

* * *

The next day Poppy didn't come to strangle her with her chest bindings. Lao didn't come to lecture her about anything. She just didn't exist to them and she loved it. She got dressed, packed her bag, raided the kitchen to get a few packets of unhealthy dried ramen her mother kept stocked much to her grandparents' dismay and left for Air Temple Island.

When she arrived at the main house on the island, the door clicked open on its own by someone's metalbending. She sighed knowing the Avatar never learned metalbending and that it must be...

"Mother," Lin said entering.

"Hey kiddo- Aang called me. Said you wanted to talk about something?" Toph said sitting back on the couch with her legs crossed.

"I kind of wanted him to talk to you," young Lin replied frowning at the Avatar.

"Why? Linny, if you're going to be an earthbender, you can't just dance around your problems, and you certainly can't just have the master fancy dancer dance around them for you! You need to face things-"

"HEAD ON, I know! Just for once, can you not lecture me and listen?" Lin asked. Toph leaned back on the couch again, her metal armor creaking, and she folded her legs.

"I'm always listening. I'm blind, not deaf, you know,"

Lin pinched the bridge of her nose. She hated when her mother was like this.

"I was wondering if you can talk to Grandfather and Grandmother about boundaries-"

Toph laughed. "They're MY parents, Lin. I have no authority over them. Besides there are boundaries. When I'm home, I am the boss of you. When they're home, they're the boss, it's simple as that."

"But you're NEVER home, and they NEVER let me do anything! I don't understand! You hated being trapped, why are you content with letting us suffer the same way?"

"You're not trapped, you have me on the weekends and you can come here during the day-"

"No, I can't! They are giving me the silent treatment now but that never lasts more than thirty six hours! Mom- they HATE Kya and Bumi. They HATE Tenzin. They think I'm going to have a bastard in my belly by summer's end if I keep seeing him. They say friends are a distraction to duty. They don't want me to ever come here. After Grandfather and Uncle Aang found Tenzin and I in Makapu, Grandmother tried to tell me I'm never to see 'that boy' again! How can they disapprove of Tenzin? Bumi I understand, but Tenzin-"

"Wait they said what to you?" Toph asked picking out her ears-

"Don't make me repeat that. You're the one who so adamantly claims that you're blind not deaf, though sometimes I wonder if you're both, honestly."

"Watch your tone if you want me to help you, Young lady- I can't—- well I can believe them but-" Toph stood up. She reached out and touched Lin's face and tucked her hair behind her face.

"I'll talk to them about Tenzin and letting you come here for a few hours a day. If that's okay with you, Aang."

"It's not a problem at all. We love having little Linny over."

Toph laughed. "She's not so little any more," Toph said with a bittersweet sadness in her voice. "Will you accompany me on the ferry to the mainland, kid?" Toph asked Lin. Lin said nothing but lifted one eyebrow at her mother suspiciously.

"I promise you can turn around and come right on back,"

"You know I get just as sick as you on that ferry," Lin frowned.

"At least you can see you're not actually falling or drowning," Toph replied.

"Toph, why don't I just fly you back to headquarters on Appa,"

"I suppose that works too, if your not busy-"

"No one is ever as busy as you," Aang replied.

That evening, Toph came home to the Beifong Estate early for the first time in months, probably. The five of them ate dinner served by the chef and maids all together. Toph leaned back on two legs of her chair with one heavy metal boot on the table and the other leg crossed over the first with a bow in her hands.

"Toph, will you please set a good example of how to act at the dinner table for your daughters?" Poppy asked.

"That's your job isn't it? To be a good example?" Toph asked picking her nose and rubbing the extracts on he napkin that casually sat crunched up between her plate and drink on the table.

"Look, She said putting her hands down."

"Here's the deal, I know we agreed that I would be in charge of teaching my girls bending and you would teach them how to be ladies so that they could have a more balanced upbringing," Toph started, putting her feet down with a heavy thud as the chair also returned to four four legs.

"But since I am so busy with police work, I've asked Avatar Aang to help teach Lin with her earth and metalbending. That being said, Lin will be expected at Air Temple Island every day from eight AM until three PM." Toph decided.

Lao nearly choked on his food. "But the Avatar is not even a metalbender, let alone a suitable master!"

"So?" Toph's face scrunched up. "Metal is a versatile bending form that probably resembles air and firebending more than traditional earth!" Toph replied.

"That only leaves dinnertime to make all the necessary impressions on our beloved granddaughter!" Poppy protested.

"Well she was my daughter before she became your grand daughter, so suck it, Mom! That is my final decision!" Toph yelled losing her composure. She pressed on her temples in frustration and left the table to get some fresh air. Lin glanced at her grandparents, just as surprised as they were. She too got up from the table and ran after her mother.

"Thank you, Mother," Lin said.

"I am not just doing this for you. I'm doing it for me too. I know I am not the best mom or role model. Lin, I don't want you to be like me. I don't want you to be this resentful and angry. I thought if you knew about both worlds if you had a more balanced upbringing, it would help you be successful in the world- but— I know it can be frustrating. I'm sorry," Toph said putting an arm over her elder daughter.

"I think you're a great role model, Mom. Just not when you drink with Uncle Sokka at the Peace Gala," Lin said sitting beside her mother on the steps overlooking the garden.

Toph laughed and ruffled her older daughter's hair.

"Thank you for letting me go to Air Temple Island."

"Of course Kiddo. Even I feel like it is home more than here sometimes," Toph said flicking a pebble of the top step of the stairs. "So, I've been meaning to ask, have you and Junior Flighty ever- you know,"

"Had sex?"

"Yeah,"

"No. He wants to wait until he's married and I'm kind of afraid. And we don't even know if we're going to be together when the time comes and we're ready- I mean— were just friends now—"

"Are you sure about that, Lin? Not that I'm pushing any way, but your heart flutters whenever you speak about him and you become a stuttering mess. Besides, sometimes you guys act like you've been married for at least five years-"

"Mom!" Lin punched her mother armor playfully.

"I'm just stating my observations!" Toph said tackling her daughter, tickling her while she squealed with laughter.


	5. 134AG A Terrible Game

**134 AG**

"They're going to marry you off to a lord from Omashu- really!" Suyin said leaning against the door frame to Lin's bedroom while she packed her day bag for Air Temple Island.

"Shut up Su!" Lin growled throwing a dirty sock at her little sister.

"It's true! I heard them move all of the lunch dates to dinner dates on the phone yesterday evening since you're gone all day!"

"Mom wouldn't let that happen!"

"How do you know? It is not like she is here to stop them. And girls get married at sixteen in the Northern Water Tribe. Maybe if they're lucky, they'll get rid of you before then." Suyin said teasingly.

"Get out of my room!" Lin yelled foregoing a sock, bending a rock at her sister, throwing her out then metalbending the door by its locking mechanism. "Mom wouldn't let that happen!"

"I'm just trying to help you, Lin. If you just listened to them, they wouldn't be so eager to get rid of you, for good!"

"If they were so eager to get rid of me, they would have done so already and I would be free to spend my life on Ember Island with Tenzin!" Lin replied before flopping down on her bed covering her head with her pillow, sobbing.

* * *

"Almost perfect Linny, Tenzin, you could learn something from Lin. Her airbending forms are even better than yours!"

"Aww man!" Tenzin yelled while Lin roared with laughter. He blew air in her face and she socked him in the chin with a rock while Aang watched them play.

"Come on, were training now, remember?" Aang asked.

"Right." the two bowed to each other and repeated the form.

"Teaching her to dance, Twinkle Toes?" Toph asked coming up the walking path to the sparring yard on air temple island. .

"I thought it would help with her metalbending. She's developed a new type of armor as well with cables running through the arm," Aang informed the blind police chief.

"It provides more versatility. In mobility and I can use it in combat like a sword or whip, it becomes an extension of my arms. Sokka always loved using his space sword,"

"Because he had no choice," Toph commented.

"And Katara sometimes makes an octopus instead of just encasing her two arms in water."

"Hm," Toph thought. _It could work._

"There is some benefit to cross training the kids. Remember Uncle Iroh learned to redirect lightening from studying waterbending. Maybe The airbending forms will help her metal.

"Maybe. Hey Kid, when can I see this new armor of yours in practice?"

"It's in my room in the house. It is functional. Now Kya is just helping me with the aesthetics-"

"Really, Lin? Aesthetics? You know I'm blind right?" Toph asked.

"But the council members aren't and they won't approve it if it is ugly. They're politicians. They don't understand the concept of practicality! Don't worry, Mom! It's not going to be like the ball gowns in Ba Sing Se!" Lin replied with a smile.

"Good!"

Lin ran inside to get her new prototype for armor for the metalbending force.

"Not even in academy yet let alone on the force and you're already trying to make a change-" Toph sighed standing up, approaching her daughter as Tenzin sat down.

"Ones strength does not necessarily come from how stubborn one can be but the ability to adapt to one's surroundings..." Lin said with a sneer wearing her new armor proudly.

"Did Snoozles come out of his igloo to brainwash you?"

"Nope! He sent a letter from his igloo!" Lin explained.

"How cute," Toph commented shooting one of her cables at Lin. She slid to avoid it only to be thrown in the air by a pillar of Earth out of the ground.

"Be the leaf!" Tenzin yelled.

Lin used her new applications then. She whipped them into the ground using the fine line of metal to launch her in to the air like a circus acrobat. The point of contact was so small that Toph could barely make out her girl's location. She bent a rock at the cables but Lin had recoiled them by then. Aang blocked the rock from hitting Tenzin and the fight continued.

Then Lin looped her cable around her mother's spool and yanked it right off the police chief's belt.

"You little-" Toph growled whopping around, searching for her girl who clew around on her cables swinging like a little hog monkey.

Then Lin got her mother's other spool of cable.

"Lin!"

Lin danced around on her cables, changing between cables and feet walk-in on her hands, ten feet in the air. When she did come down, she was fast and evaded all of her mother's attacks waiting for her opponent to tire before finally striking.

"She waited, and listened-" Aang explained to Tenzin as Lin helped her mom off the ground.

"You did good kid,... today at least-" Toph said dully.

"Ugh!" Lin stomped her foot. "Why can't you just admit I won? This time! Finally!"

"Because you are my little girl and though you think you have created something amazing, you still don't know anything. Metalbending is more than just swinging cables," Toph said ruffling her daughter's hair.

Lin sighed and pulled away with frustration.

"Hey, I'm not trying to mean. Just realistic. Remember when I said I would never lie to you, Linny? The world is not a kind place, and I don't want to give you false expectations," Toph said to her.

"I know, Just sometimes, I wish I had at least a little... validation."

"Isn't that what you've got junior for?" Toph asked taking back her cables.

"LIN! That was AMAZING! I don't even know what style that was based off of! You looked like you were flying! I doubt even Dad could replicate your movements. It was so cool and amazing!" Tenzin exclaimed envelopping her in a hug. Lin beamed. Toph crossed her arms and leaned on one foot smiling.

"They're cute, aren't they?" Aang asked Toph.

"I think so.

"Have you eaten, Toph?"

"Nah. I'll just get some shunmai on my way back to work-"

"Stay, please! Katara has extra stirfried plum-reddish noodles!"

"Eh- no thanks. I'm good with my deep fried meat filled dumplings-" Toph replied waving her hand.

"At least let me fly you to the mainland."

"Alright, I suppose." Toph said.

* * *

"... Princess Izumi's seventeenth birthday will be held in Republic City at the Fire Nation Cultural Center and will boast a guest list of prominent figures from all four nations including..."

"Blah blah blah, Linny, you don't have to read the paper! We already got out invitations!" Bumi said impatiently.

That evening, Lin was going to ask her grandmother to take her shopping when she got home, she heard the voices of strangers.

"Miss Lin, we must get you changed, quickly" one of the maids said ushering Lin up a back stair case. She came down again in a green and pearl colored chiffon dress with her wavy hair pinned up behind a pink headband with small white flowers on it and green emeralds in the center of each flower.

"Lin! You're home!" Poppy said.

"Grandmother," Lin bowed.

"These are some old friends of ours from the state of Yai. Mr and Mrs. Lai and their son, Boyang, he's a year older than you," Poppy said.

"Mr. Lai is in town to meet with the CEO of Cabbage Corp. and we were wondering if you could be the one to show Boyang around since it is his first time in Republic City,"

"But-" Lin began to protest.

"Boyang is also an earthbender Lin-"

"But I have two work on metalbending with-"

"Metalbending? I've always wanted to learn! Your mother invented it, didn't she?" Boyang asked enthusiastically.

"Yeah, she did-"

"Then you must be really good!"

"Not really, I'm still training-" Lin said.

"She's just being modest." Poppy said.

"Oh! I just love humility in a young lady!" Boyang's mother exclaimed. Lin felt a little vomit in the back of her throat.

"Lin, tomorrow you can teach Boyang what you know, surely you can miss one day of training to teach. Don't they say teaching reinforces knowledge of the skill?" Poppy asked.

Lin shuddered, but nobody seemed to notice.

"Are you staying here?" Lin asked Boyang.

"No, don't worry. We have a hotel," Boyang said to Lin.

"Well, we should probably get going before traffic picks up for the evening rush. It really was great to see you Mr. Beifong!" Mr. Lai said

"So, I'll see you tomorrow?" Boyang asked with excitement.

"Yeah, I guess..." Lin said sadly. "See you tomorrow," Lin said standing still as everyone brushed past.

"Lao, Poppy, I just wanted to thank you for this opportunity. I can already see it. Lin would make a fine addition to our household," Mrs. Lai said bowing to Poppy, kissing her hands before leaving.

Lin scrunched up her face in anger and bolted to her room.

"Miss Lin!" her maid called after her once they were upstairs. She didn't listen. "...'a fine addition to our hose hold'... what am I? A decorative vase?!" Lin yelled packing her bag.

"Miss Lin. It is nearly dark out- surely you're not going out. The city is dangerous at night!" the servant said as Lin grabbed cables, kiyoshi fans, her training log, a pen, and a change of clothes.

"I didn't have a curfew when I was eight years old, so why should I have one now?" Lin replied angrily packing to run.

"Miss. Lin, you couldn't get pregnant then. The risks now are too high. If you were kidnapped, and raped..." the maid said.

Lin paused. They were right. She flopped down on the ground and stopped packing.

"Am I just a piece of cattle, Mrs. Chu?" Lin asked her maid. "Am I just a shadow of my mother? A shadow behind a name?" Young Lin looked out the window towards Air Temple Island. "What even is this stupid game we play?"

* * *

The next day, Lin woke to Poppy opening her blinds and Mrs. Chu rushing in with a large box. That could only mean one thing. A new dress sent from Ba Sing Se. Lin groaned and rolled over in bed covering her head with the pillows.

"I thought you said I was going to teach the boy metalbending!" Lin yelled.

"There's been a change of plan. Get up! You'll be his tour guide for the day," Poppy informed Lin. "Come on, get up! He will be here in an hour."

Lin reluctantly got out of bed and walked over dutifully.

"Hey Lin!" Suyin exclaimed running in and jumping on Lin's bed, kneeling facing her sister who stood at one of the corners to have her grandmother do her bindings. "I was right!" Suyin whispered in Lin's ear when Poppy and Mrs. Chu had their back turned.

"Shut up, Su!" Lin yelled earthbending a rock out of the floor of her room into her sister's face. The eight year old dove at her fourteen year old sister, knocking her down. Suyin rolled onto her feet facing Lin who did a kip up in her night gown and raised another rock flinging it at her sister with a strong and precise shot aiming again at her sister's face. Suyin smashed it with her flimsy looking little wrist. Lin sneered. She hadn't spared with her sister before. She was afraid she'd hurt the girl six years her younger. But she could tell her sister was an earthbending prodigy and she hated it.

"So this is how its going to be," eight year old Suyin smirked cartwheeling sideways and kicking a slab of concrete out of the wall, ruining the chair lining and a tapestry to knock her big sister down.

"Girls! No bending in the house! You're destroying everything!" Poppy yelled.

"SHE STARTED IT!" Lin and Su yelled simultaneously. Lin knocked her sister into the ceiling and Suyin knocked her sister from behind making her fall on her face.

"WELL I AM ENDING IT!" A new voice yelled as metal cables wrapped around both girls'' ankles, dangling them upside down before flinging them both onto Lin's voice. The two sisters sat up abruptly, brushing the hair from their eyes to see.

"Mom?" Lin looked shocked. Her mother was never home in the morning. During the week, the most time she would give them was maybe dinner once or twice before returning for a night shift that rolled right into the day.

"Mom!" Suyin ran over and hugged her mother while Lin remained frowning.

"What is going on here? You never fight!" Toph said gently, hugging Su.

"Maybe if you were here, you'd know!" Lin yelled jumping off the bed, pushing past her mother, trying to outrun the cables in pursuit.

Lin bent a new wall to deflect the cable and kept on running. She ran out the door and bent a tunnel at the base of the stairs to the house, and disappeared under ground.

"The Lai's will be here in an hour!" Poppy exclaimed.

"The Lai's?" Toph asked. "Mom, why is Lin so upset?" Toph asked.

The Lais are friends of your father. They have a son around Lin's age and its his first time in Republic City, and we figured since you were always so desperate for friends growing up, we would bring some for Lin." Poppy said.

Something about that sounded a little off to Toph. "Lin has friends on Air Temple Island."

"Honey, you can hardly call them friends. Boyang Lai will make a good match for Lin. He can provide her peace and prosperity, and he can take her far away from this filthy city."

"What are you saying? They're getting married or something?"

"NO! No! Nothing like that. Lin is friends with the Princess of the Fire Nation, no? Why can't she be friends with an son of a lord from the Earth Kingdom?" Poppy asked.

"I guess there is no harm in that," Toph sighed suspecting there was something more going on, knowing very well she wasn't going to get it out of her mother. Behind her, Suyin smirked knowingly. Lin's going to get married!

* * *

Toph found Lin in a cave crying, crouched between a pair of badgermoles. "What is going on between you and Su?"

"Su's just- ugh!" Lin couldn't even speak.

"Look, I am sorry I am not home all that often, but you know as well as I that it takes a lot of time and energy to keep this city safe for you girls especially to grow, and thrive."

"Whilst being smothered by grandmother all of the time," Lin replied hugging her knees.

"I know she can be frustrating."

"Mom, I don't want to get married. EVER!" Lin said finally.

"What?"

"Grandmother took away training today to send me off with Boyang Lai and Su told me they want to get me married before I join the police academy."

"Nonsense! I would never let that happen! Su is young. She doesn't know what she is saying!" Toph exclaimed.

Lin frowned. She remembered the gleam in her little sister's eyes. Suyin knew EXACTLY what she was saying. She was so cute and little and perfect to everyone else, but Lin saw right through the facade. She was just this angry, sadistic little good for nothing-

"Lin, may I offer a different perspective on why my parents may be introducing you to Boyang Lai?" Toph asked.

"Do I really have any other option than to listen."

"You could run away from me."

"But then I am afraid I would never see you again. Your visits feel more seldom than those from Fire Princess Izumi."

"I had NO ONE growing up, Lin. No Tenzin, no kya, no Bumi. Every day I sipped tee in some itchy gown with only my mother, my father, a servant, and the occasional seamstress for company. I couldn't speak unless spoken to. I couldn't eat or dance or play. I had NOBODY, Lin. Every day, I was confined to the walls of the estate. I could only go into the garden accompanied by TWO guards, and listen to the other children play outside the walls. They probably regret what I've become-"

"I know they do, they lectured me on you for over a month when we first arrived in Gaoling," Lin replied frowining at her mother.

"They're trying to change for the better. They love you and want you to have balance."

"This isn't about love. They hate me and they want control."

"Or they want you to have a place to stay and a friend to trust when you are older and want to travel."

"But you don't travel. Why would I need friends outside of Republic City?" Lin asked.

"I have traveled, Lin. I traveled the world when I was twelve, and it was nothing, but only because, once you've seen nothing once, you've seen nothing a thousand times. Lin you can enjoy the world. Take advantage of it. Me, I can't tell the difference from place to place. The earth is just one big rock to me all breathing together. It rolls on day after day, but more or less goes unchanged. But you, you can see. Give Boyang a chance. Tenzin will still be on Air Temple Island when you come back."

"Are you sure? What if he gets jealous?" Lin asked. "He's my best friend."

"He'll get over it. He knows you wouldn't do something like this willingly, don't worry, Linny." Toph said stroking her girl's back.

"Alright," Lin sighed standing up. The badgermoles lifted their noses and inspected the girl. No more tears seemed to be falling from her eyes. The two badgermoles licked the salt off her face eliciting a giggle from the young teenage girl. Toph laughed remembering the badgermoles she came to love in Gaoling, the ones who taught her earthbending.

* * *

At ten in the morning, Boyang Lai came to pick up Lin from the Beifong Estate in a rented car.

"You drive already?" Lin asked, surprised. She was wearing a long green and crème dress with a pink ribbon tied around her waist almost as tightly as Poppy did for the festival night.

"Yep!" Boyang replied. "My father bought one of the first vehicles off of Cabbage Corp's premier assembly line a year ago and taught me how to drive. So where would you like to go?"

"If you don't mind, the post offfice is not far from here. I just have one quick thing I need delivered then I can show you Republic City Park or something," Lin replied. She had to get a note to Tenzin, to warn him, so he didn't freak out if he was in the city and happened to see her walking with Boyang.

"Yes Miss, what do you need?" the clerk asked.

"A messenger hawk for immediate delivery please," Lin replied politely drawing her coin purse. . She tucked the rolled up letter and tucked it into the little cartridge on the hawk's back. "This goes to Air Temple Island, for Tenzin, Okay?" she whispered to the bird , giving it a scrap of food before watching it take off through the many windows in the vaulted ceiling.

"The architecture is incredible here! And it's just a post office?" Boyang exclaimed.

"Huh, yep-" Lin said looking up. Just her city.

Can we see the police headquarters?"

"I can't really bring you in, but we can see the exterior, and i think there's a small museum," Lin said looking at Boyang strangely.

Fortunately there were plenty of plaques for Boyang to read at and around the central square so Lin didn't really have to speak to Boyang. She found his fascination with the city's history and her connection to it a bit unnerving.

"And that's your mum?" He asked pointing up at the Statue of Toph Beifong that spanned seven of the twelve stories of the building.

"No, that's just a statue," Lin replied raising an eyebrow at him.

"But it's a statue of your mom-"

"Yeah, what of it?" Lin asked folding her arms.

"Nothing. I just can't believe you're the daughter of Toph Beifong!"

"I have my own name, you know," Lin said getting a little too irritated by his admiration for her mom.

"Miss. Beifong?"

"It's Lin! Call me Lin! Please!" Lin said. She never thought it would be possible to hate a word, but there were two that she couldn't stand to hear anymore, especially together. 'Miss' and 'Beifong'.

"I'm sorry, Lin," Boyang said apoligetically. My parents never even told me your name. They didn't seem to think it was important."

"Of course they didn't," Lin frowned.

"Is everything okay?" Boyang asked.

"Yeah, everything is great!" She said with the most unconvincing tone, not even bothering to try to mask her discomfort.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I just-"

"It is not your fault that I am this way. Trust me," Lin said. holding up a hand to silence him. He found the gesture curious since never had a lady attempted to silence him, but it wasn't so bad as his parents insisted.

"Is there somewhere you'd like to eat?"

"I am not craving anything in particular, at the moment, but we can walk towards the food district and see if there's something we like," Lin suggested.

They walked from the city center through republic city park and then to the food district.

"This place looks good!" Boyang said pointing at a rather expensive looking restaurant with table cloths and covered chairs and ribbons on everything.

"Kwong's Cuisine? You need reservations for that."

"Surely they can make accommodations for the children of millionaires, one of them a Beifong.

"HUSH UP about being the children of millionaires. My mom does a kickass job as Chief, but there are STILL criminals who would love a new toy to play with for ransom!" Lin said grabbing Boyang's collar, yanking his head down to her level, whispering in his ear.

"Sorry," Boyang apologized.

"And I will NEVER engage in bribery, or use my name to intimidate the waist staff of a fancy restaurant into getting us a table!" Lin made very clear. Boyang looked afraid. She sighed. "Sorry, that must have come out harshly."

"No, don't apologize. You're honest. I've never encountered that in a Lady."

"That is probably because I am not a lady. I am just... Lin."

Boyang looked at her curiously. Her head drooped in sadness.

"Why do you put on the act then?"

"It is what is expected of me and I just don't want to let anybody down, but no matter how hard I try to hide it, my true self comes through every time."

"You're brave. I've seen that expression before. I think a lot of young ladies must feel that way, but they're not brave enough to break the mold."

"But am I being brave or selfish buy avoiding my own distastes before complying to the the desires of my family?"

"I don't know. I have never been thought about something so deeply, or been unhappy enough to question the goals of my family."

"Is there anything that you disagree with them on? Is there anything you dislike?"

"I dislike that they've made you unhappy by forcing you to spend the day with me."

"That is not your fault."

"But it is an area where I disagree with my parents."

"I see."

Boyang looked up at the smell of more food. "How about here?"

"Nah- this place is fake. Not authentic Fire Nation food. The really good stuff is a bit further from the city center." Lin replied with a smirk deciding to show this foreigner where the good food is.

She brought him to a rather seedy old place.

"Ding's Dumpling House!" She said presenting the shoddy store front.

"It is a rather peculiar establishment." Boyang commented. "But it smells amazing."

"When we were younger, Mom used to bring us here on friday nights. Then she got busier as we got older, and would bring home take out from here from time to time. But since Grandmother and Grandfather came and brought their house staff and chefs, we haven't been able to come in a long time," Lin said sadly entering the shop.

"Hi Mr Xin!" Lin called waving to the man in the kitchen through the window at the back of the shop.

"Lin? My! I hardly recognized you!"

"I brought a friend! He is Boyang Lai and he's not from around here!"

Yes! I am a friend! Boyang exclaimed triumphantly in his head.

"Well make yourself at home, Boyang. Lin, you know where the menus are!" Boyang said.

"You serve yourself here?" Boyang gasped.

"No, they'll still serve you. He's just busy right now and I do know where the menus are. It is no big deal," Lin said shrugging off. She walked behind the cash register and ducked down to pull two menus out of the cubbie for herself and Boyang.

"Everything looks so good here!"

"I know! I would reccomend the fried onion bread for a starter, and the pork chive dumplings steamed for the main course! Oh and the matcha or mango ice creams here are amazing!" Lin said enthusiastically reaching across the table, rather unladylike to point at various places on his menu. ]

Boyang laughed. He liked Lin. He liked her honesty and heart. He liked how she did not abuse the working class. She was not flustered by celebrities. Hell she was a celebrity, herself! But she was still human. Boyang wanted to make Lin happy, but he knew that like her, he had so many obligations to his families. If he married her, his mother would make Lin miserable. He could see it already. They both wanted to please so much, but they could never do it and truly be pleased. That morning, all he knew was a rumor of the existence of a beautiful daughter of the inventor of metalbending, and by evening, he knew of a girl named Lin who had so much to live for and so little time to live.


	6. 136AG Celebration and Separation

** 136AG **

Lin couldn't run fast enough from the police headquarters to home to get something on her way to Air Temple Island. The grandparents were gone! Back to Gaoling. They had given up on trying to marry Lin off. It was too late. She had made it to the police academy despite all of their efforts to find someone to woo her. Her heart and eyes were only set on one person her entire life, and she was going to go see him, to ask him what they would do as they were getting older and both beginning to work in the city.

"Su what are you doing home?" Lin frowned seeing her ten year old sister in the living room with some of the street rats that loitered around the statue of Fire Lord Zuko outside of the train station.

"Wow! You almost look like a real cop!"

"You should be in school!"

"What are you going to do? Tell mom? Its not like she is going to care."

"She will care when your loser friends start stealing our stuff!" Lin yelled. "They're using you Su!"

"They're my friends, and you have no right speaking to them that way!" Suyin shot back as a boy swept some jewels into a handbag.

"Where'd you get all that stuff?"

"Fell of the back of a truck," the boy replied with a smirk.

"I can tell you're lying," Lin said folding her arms, trying to intimidate them. Suyin couldn't be bothered and her friends knew she was more than capable of protecting herself and them against her sister.

"I've had enough of you!" Suyin spat snatching up the handbag with jewels. "Come on, guys. Let's get out of here." Suyin said.

"Su, stop!" Lin yelled grabbing her sister by the shoulder. "You have so much potential! You're ruining your life."

"At least I have a life! You're just a shadow of another being!" Suyin spat back at Lin before walking out, slamming the door behind her friends.

Lin could feel the ground beneath her feet begin to crack as rage boiled within her. She grabbed her bag from upstairs and ran to Air Temple Island. Suyin doesn't know anything.

* * *

Lin pushed Suyin from her mind while on the ferry to Air Temple Island. She'll learn eventually, right? Hopefully.

Lin ran leaping into Tenzin's arms. She hadn't seen him in three whole days!

"You're happy!" Tenzin exclaimed, elated, twirling her around.

"I got to test out of the Police Metalbending Academy! All I have to do is a week of boot camp and policy training and then I'm on the force!" Lin exclaimed.

"That's wonderful!"

"We should celebrate!"

"How? When?"

"We can go for dumplings! Old man Ding makes vegetarian ones now too because of you, and they're hugely popular and the recipe is amazing!"

"Tonight? Oh uh..."

"Is something wrong?" Lin asked with furrowed brows.

"It's just that tonight, my dad and I are leaving on a trip."

"Another one?" Lin asked sadly.

"I'm sorry,"

"Don't apologize! I know it's important for you to access the spirit world being an airbender and all."

"No I'm sorry because this trip is going to take four years."

"Years?" Lin looked up with glossy green eyes. He cupped his face in her hands.

Tenzin nodded, kissing her head while she held onto his robes.

"You won't forget me, will you?"

"How could I? You're my greatest love in the world." Tenzin replied.

"But you know how pretty Fire Nation girls are!"

"You're crazy! Not even Izumi has anything on you in my eyes." You won't forget me right?" Tenzin asked. "Will all of those young and fit metalbenders with the police?"

"Ha! You're crazy! Most of those officers are idiots! I don't know how my mom puts up with them!" Lin exclaimed. Tenzin tried to laugh but was still sad about leaving her.

"When were you going to tell me about this trip?" Lin asked.

"I only found out about it this morning. I didn't want to distract you from your exams today, and decided I'd come by on our way out of Republic City," Tenzin relief.

"I see," Lin sighed.

He enveloped her in his arms, wrapping his cape around her body. "Be safe, Baldy," Lin said barely whispering.

"I will."

"I'll be waiting when you return."

"And Lin?"

"Hm?"

"Promise me you'll be safe at work on the force? Where you go will be far more perilous than where we'll be going," Tenzin said.

"I will." she replied bending the ground beneath her feet so she could kiss him on the lips without reaching.

 


	7. 140AG Together Again

** 140 AG **

When the bison landed, Kya, Bumi, Katara, Toph, Sokka and several air acolytes awaited their return on Air Temple Island.

"Katara!" Aang called.

"My love!" Katara replied jumping into his arms.

"How was it Tenten?" Bumi asked.

"Have you connected with all the cosmic in the world?" Kya asked.

"No," Tenzin confessed.

"AWWWWW POOR YOU!" Kya said with a smile on her face.

"Kya, Bumi, don't tease Tenzin about this. It takes time to open all of the chakras. Time and concentration. Tenzin has already gotten six of them!" Aang said positively.

"Yeah," Tenzin confirmed sadly. "Where's Lin, Aunt Toph?"

"She said to tell you she will be waiting for you by the tree. How are you suppposed to know which tree? There are 10,552 trees on this island!" Toph exclaimed.

"I know which tree," Tenzin said breaking into a run to the south side of the island. Please, don't let me find her hanging from it!" Tenzin thought immediately. It hurt to be away from her so long. When she went to Gaoling when he was thirteen and he went to Ember Island for two years, his longing for her then reached a point whhe felt like he couldn't breathe. Since then, he felt like their love had grown exponentially. It transformed from a childish friendship to a deeper affection and then again to a curious love that they never had the opportunity to explore before he had to leave. She stood beneath their tree with no rope or noose in proximity. Tenzin let out a sigh of relief. He knew she knew he was standing there, but neither of them moved.

He examined her frame. Her waist now curved inwards naturally without Poppy's strict bindings. Her hips had become slightly wider and looked thicker with the uniform on. And she had breasts. Real, developed breasts. She had her hands folded behind her back.

"Lin," he called hesitantly. Something was wrong. He walked up to her left side and looked at her face. Her expression was unreadable. He cupped her chin hesitantly and slipped an arm around her armored waist. "What's wrong? He asked tenderly as he turned her head to face him. Then he saw two pink marks running along the side of her face from her jawbone, to just under her eye.

"Tenzin, I'm so sorry! I tried! I really did try to be safe-" she apologized.

"When did this happen?"

"About a year ago,"

"And you couldn't put it in a letter?"

"Mother forbade it,"

"Why?"

"Because Su did it." Lin said turning back towards the ocean. "Su did it and got sent to Gaoling indefinitely and mother," Lin sniffled. "She tore up the report."

"Lin,"

"No one can know about Su but us. She gets to run free while I have to live the rest of eternity with this," Lin cried into his arms as he held her in silence. "I know I shouldn't care about what people think of me, but it still hurts, what they say in the papers. Sometimes, I wish I were the blind one. Sometimes I wish I couldn't read or see, so that I wouldn't have to read about their speculations. It's petty. My appearance shouldn't matter. I am a Captain now in the Police. I scare the shit out of the rookies, but sometimes... I wish I couldn't see their fear-filled face when they look at me. Tenzin, I am a monster with no explanation for these markings." Lin said looking up at him with those sad, green eyes that used to be so happy, so excited, passionate and so full of love and life.

"You still look beautiful to me," Tenzin said bending down to kiss her tear-stained face.

* * *

"I have my own place now. I couldn't live with my mother after- that day," Lin said unlocking the door to a small bare two bedroom apartment overlooking the city's central plaza and Republic City Park.

There was a couch opposite a fire place, a sparse bookshelf against the far wall of the living room. A kitchen with a stove, oven, and tea kettle, and nothing else. The sink was completely void of dirty dishes. "Oh, and I also had a spare key made for you, if you ever need a place to get away from Kya and Bumi. I know they can be... Kya and Bumi," Lin said hanging up her coat in a small closet by the door, handing Tenzin a key to her apartment. She waved him to follow.

"Guest bath here, guest room here, and the master.

The master was just as bland as the rest of the house. There was a large, king sized bed with a small table and wall mounted lamp on each side. Lin walked into the master bathroom and took the ribbon out of her long braid and brushed it, looking down at the sink and bent her armor off.

Tenzin followed, stepping into the small bathroom behind her, to inspect the bathtub. There was a single bar soap and bottle of hair and body wash in one.

"It's all so clean and... empty," Tenzin commented with mild concern.

"I'm hardly ever here," Lin explained. "What reason do I have to be here when I can be of use to the city?" Lin replied taking off her tank top, and pushing past Tenzin to walk over to her wardrobe in the master bending.

"What hours have you been working?" Tenzin asked.

"Typically six in the morning until eleven at night or midnight. Sometimes I have to participate in stake out operations that run later, but it's all part of the job."

"Lin! Your mother approved this? This is crazy! There are laws in place to protect people from running into the ground.

"She doesn't know. I hardly ever see her now. The other bums are glad when I take over their shift. I get shit done." Lin replied.

"So you just do it to do it?"

"What else would I do to pass time?"

"Read?"

"I was lonely, Tenzin. Talking to criminals was at least more entertaining than talking to nothing."

"What about Kya and Bumi? You could hang out with them," Tenzin suggested.

"I don't know if you have noticed, but I think Kya wants to fuck me," Lin said pulling out a clean shirt.

"What?!" Tenzin exclaimed.

"Oh don't be surprised!" Lin sighed pulling off her pants.

Tenzin gasped. A long line of white scar tissue ran from her hip to her knee.

"Shit happens, Tenzin. Nobody sees here anyways." Lini sighed pulling on a pair of loose green pants.

"I do," Tenzin replied quietly.

She heard the concern in his voice.

"Riiiight, I sorry, I'll try to be more careful," Lin promised walking over to kiss him. She moved to put on her belt but he took it.

"What are you-" Lin began to ask before he kissed her. His hands found her skin and he slipped off the shirt shirt she just threw on.

"Tenzin-" Lin said gasping for air.

"I've missed you so much," Tenzin whispered undoing the knot in her bindings.

"I've missed you too," she said unwrapping his yellow and red robes.

"You're so- different now," he said running his thumbs over her cheeks, holding her head still so he can gaze into her brilliantly green eyes, searching, trying to read her complicated mind.

"As are you," she replied wrapping her arms around his neck. Motions, full of desperation and lust, they disrobed each other.

"The city looks the same, but it feels like everything's changed," Tenzin sighed stroking her unmarked cheek gently while she rested her head in the crook of his other arm.

"What are you thinking about?" Lin asked looking up to reach for his arrow, resting her thin arm on his cheek.

"How do you know I am thinking?"

"You make obvious, yet thoughtful comment, you stroke my cheek, and your left eyebrow curls, and you stop talking to me," Lin replied casually running her hand down the arrow on his back, shoulder to his hand.

"I am thinking about us. I'm always thinking about us," he replied thinking about a stone he'd found in the ruins of the Southern Air Temple while on his trip with his Dad.

* * *

Over the next few weeks, Tenzin has moved some of his clothes and necessities into Lin's barren apartment. He brought her paintings and scrolls and went to a used book store and hand-picked enough times to fill her wall of shelving and surprised her one night when she came home. He transcribed ancient airbender texts onto new paper and parchment. He cooked and cleaned and decorated, and he found a radio and managed to tune into the police communications just in case-"

"Triple Threats versus Red Monsoons in Dragon Flat's Borough! Request for back up!"

"Unit 3 responding!" Lin's voice said on the radio.

Tenzin set his pen down and grabbed his bison whistle and cape. He dove off of the bison in a blurring flash of yellow and red robes and landed with his glider in hand, swiping at a dozen red monsoons knocking them all unconscious against the side of a building across the street.

"Tenzin! You need to get out of her!" Lin yelled diving in front of him to slice through and shatter a spear of glass aimed at Tenzin's chest.

"I can help!" Tenzin said. She glanced at him to make sure he wasn't hurt.

"Lin, look out!" She turned as an ice spear struck her with a point of contact so fine that is sliced cleanly through her uniform, grazing her side.

"You're hurt!"

"I'm fine! Just focus on the task at hand!" Lin yelled. "Help the officers!"

Lin had to spend the afternoon in the hospital being tested for possible poison in the frozen water and then to get stitches and healing done.

"It will leave a rather nasty scar, I am sorry, Captain."

"Eh, don't worry about it. It is just another addition to my collection. As long as I am breathing, and I can still bend, everything will be alright." Lin said with a dismissive wave of the hand.

In the lobby, Tenzin sat waiting for her. She frowned when she saw him.

"I am sooooo sorry!" Tenzin said bolting upright immediately.

"Quit apologizing already! Why are you even here? You could have just waited at home!" Lin replied with frustration after having wasted half a day in the hospital receiving stitches and healing sessions.

"I was worried. I needed to make sure you were okay,"

"You don't need to baby sit me," Lin growled pushing past him.

Tenzin huffed and followed after her.

"Lin, please. Let me help. I care about you and I just don't want you to get hurt."

"You know what, Tenzin? That is the exact same stupid excuse my grandparents tried to use to justify choosing all of my friends for me and I am sick of it!" Lin growled.

"I'm sorry! Is there anything I can do to help? To fix things?"

"Go home and stop interfering with police business!" Lin snapped turning to face him challengingly, to see if he'd continue to protest. He looked down at her green eyes, so full of an anger and pain that he couldn't quite understand. It couldn't be just from the graze from the ice spear. Or the scar in her leg, or the scars on her face. No, this pain was deeper. She had been betrayed. Tenzin pulled her unwilling, armored body into an embrace.

"Alright. I will go home. But promise me one thing."

"What?" came her muffled groan in his chest.

"Don't forget to come home every day. I need you too, not just the city," he said stroking her wavy black hair. She wrapped her arms around him finally, and gave him one last squeeze before rushing off to the police station to finish the paperwork for the encounter with the Red Monsoons earlier that day.

 


	8. 140AG This Working Machine

**140AG**  
"Lin, you promised! You promised we'd get to spend at least one whole evening together each week. Fridays. We can be typical. We'll go out in the city or travel. We could go back to Makapu and make love in the moss-lined tunnels that connected the old city aqueducts!" Tenzin yelled chasing after her.

"I know! And I am sorry, okay?! Things have just been really busy at headquarters lately and I-"

"Lin!" Tenzin grabbed her arm and pulled her into his chest. "Please?"

She melted under his hand, always. Her entire body relaxed and she sighed, standing there in silent thought for a moment while his grip slackened.

Finally, she spoke in the gentlest tone that only Tenzin would ever know. "There's a new play in town. I believe it is called the 'Love of the Unagi'. We could go see that tomorrow. My family has a private box at the play house, so once we are at our seats, the press can't bother us," Lin whispered into his lips.

"I thought you hated romance," Tenzin replied embracing her in a grateful hug, not caring that they were in public and anyone could see.

"It isn't romance. It was advertised as a comedy. Honestly, Tenzin, do you ever read anything but those thousand year old scrolls your father unearths on his journeys?" Lin asked shaking her head teasingly with a soft grin on her face.

"As a matter of fact, I do! They just happen to be more often novels than the news."

"Well you should probably get into the practice of reading the news if you want to be a good councilman some day. You need to know what is going on around you," Lin suggested contemptuously.

"Do I now?" he asked inhaling the scent of her hair while he rested his chin on top of her head.

"Yes." She whispered tilting her head up to exhale onto his neck, making every hair on his body turn up on end.

Just then there was a blinding flash of light and Lin and Tenzin broke apart.

"What is it?" Tenzin gasped as Lin grabbed his hand and broke into a run.

"Captain Beifong! Master Tenzin!" The reporter yelled chasing them. Tenzin scooped Lin and carried her up in an air funnel landing them on the roof.

"What was that thing? That flash?" Tenzin asked setting her down on the roof of the random building. .

"A new invention. Portable cameras. They can take a picture in a second and not require a tripod or several minutes to steady! If you just read the news you'd-"

"Lin!"

"Sorry," Lin sighed and turned away before balling one hand into a fist. "Flameo! We will never have privacy again, will we Ten?"

"I guess not. But I don't know about you, but I like it up here, with the winds blowing all around and nothing to focus on but you," Tenzin said. She turned to him curiously. "Now where were we?" he asked as they both stepped towards each other.

* * *

The morning after the play was pleasant and quiet. Lin and Tenzin couldn't have been more relaxed. They made love far to late into the night exploring every inch of each other's bodies now that they had the time with Lin's new schedule and Tenzin's new responsibilities at city hall.

"Four years is far too long to be apart," Lin said sliding one leg over his while he laid on his back.

"One day is far too long for me" Tenzin replied turning over to straddle her, pinning her by the hips to the bed as he entered her.

Her head tilted back in ecstasy as he pushed deeper and deeper into her body.

"If you keep this up, I won't be able to sit for a week," Lin growled. With her hands on his wrists pushing with not as much force as he knew she was capable of.

The first words he ever remembered hearing out of her mouth were, "Mommy, I bet I could beat his ass-" And she couldn't have even been three years old then. She was always stronger than him, but in times like these, she became weak.

"Not my problem," he replied ramming hard into her, eliciting a gasp from his metalbender.

* * *

They were just setting breakfast on the table on their one day off when the phone rang.

"Captain Beifong, the Chief told us to send for you. She said it's urgent," The Officer on the other end said.

"If it was so urgent, she could have called me herself," Lin muttered. "I'm on my way," she told the police officer.

"When's the last time you talked to your mom?" Tenzin asked.

"Five months maybe more? Maybe less? It doesn't matter anyways. Every conversation ends the exact same way," Lin said unclipping her brown leather belt. She stripped down to her bindings, threw on a tank top and black pair of uniform pants and bent her armor onto her body.

"See you later, Captain?" Tenzin asked.

"See you later," she replied kissing him on the tip of his arrow.

She walked into her her mother's office.

"What?" Lin asked impatiently.

"Is that any way to greet your commanding officer?"

"What do you want, Chief Beifong?" Lin asked with a sigh of exasperation hating the taste of their shared name on her own tongue.

Toph took her headband off and rubbed her temples one last time and stood up taking something off her uniform and grabbed a spool of a gold colored metal.

"Chief?" Lin asked curiously stepping away.

Toph didn't respond. She reached out and touched Lin's face. She winced involuntarily at her mother's touch. Their love and familiarity long gone. They were no closer than strangers. Toph placed the badge over Lin's heart and lined the seams of her metal uniform with gold.

"Congrats Chief Lin Beifong, don't be like me," Toph said with her hands on Lin's shoulders. Toph turned and beckoned a metal box with her belongings and started for the door.

"Chief- what- what are you doing?"

"I'm not chief anymore. Just Toph, or Melon Lord, whichever you prefer... Or you could just call me the greatest earthbender that ever walked the eartn. I really don't care anymore, Chief," Toph chuckled sadly. 'Mom' wasn't an option, Lin noticed as a sharp pain pierced her heart. "I'm retiring, Chief Beifong," Lin winced at the sound of the new title and name and suddenly 'Chief' replaced 'Miss' as her second most hated word, just under her family name.

Lin wished so much for protocol to change to allow the use of first names instead, or at least something more distinct, but no, society had to be all about honoring the family. "My time is up here." Toph continued to a stunned Lin. "I'm old, I'm tired. And I feel like I'm missing something. So I'm going to go look for it."

"For how long?" Lin asked finally.

"However long it takes. The paperwork's on your desk if you feel like reading it."

Lin sneered with irritation and anger. She didn't even have to glance at it to know it would be a stapled packet of standard forms with nothing but scribbles on it from her blind mother.

"Please, we need you, Chief." Lin begged.

"I dunno there Chief. Your six year record always had more gold stars than mine did in my entire career. Besides, I ain't got the patience for book keeping. Though I know you and Floaty do. Enjoy each other, okay? By the way, Aunt Katara is expecting you for dinner tonight at 8. Don't be late," Toph added as an afterthought.

"Wait what? Chief!" Lin yelled tired of her mother ignoring her. "Mom! Please!" Lin called using the familiar term for the first time in her short six long but trying years in the police force. "Don't go!" She called sounding like a wounded child.

"You are no daughter of mine. I raised two girls to walk the line between two lives as a kick ass earthbender, and a young lady. I raised two girls who would be balanced and protect each other from harm, kill ass if need be, and be able to seduce anybody they wanted with an act as simple as pouring a cup of tea properly." Toph replied. "I didn't make this thing standing before me. This working, machine. You did that yourself, kid, and you would make the perfect Chief of Police. What are you always telling everybody? You can take care of yourself? So stop complaining. You don't need me." Toph said. She waited for no longer than a second before swiftly leaving the building with her metal box. Lin turned to all of the the detectives that worked daily with the former chief, tears stinging her eyes, but she could not show weakness.

"Did you know?" she asked with a voice weak with defeat.

They all nodded sadly.

Lin rushed into her mother's office slamming the metal door shut before her new subordinates saw her crying. A Chief cannot be weak.

She leaned her hands on the desk looking at the side where the Chief would usually sit. It didn't feel right.

"She wouldn't even say my name, or say goodbye!" One voice in Lin's head cried.

"You brought this on yourself, stone walling her for five months, working yourself into a frenzy. Making everyone think you wanted all those hours. All of that responsibility. Don't be surprised. It's what you wanted isn't it? What you've been working towards this. Isn't what you wanted? To be Chief?"

"Chief Beifong?" A detective called knocking.

"Who is it?" Lin growled.

"Master Tenzin."

"Ugh, let him in," Lin replied wiping her eyes.

"How'd you find out?" Lin asked not facing him.

"My father. Aunt Toph told him her plans for leaving yesterday. Apparently your mother is headed off in search of enlightenment," Tenzin explained.

Lin let out a dry laugh. "She is no mother of mine. According to her, she raised two girls who walked a straight line on the border of kick-ass earthbender and refined lady. According to her, I am just a working machine. According to her, I fit this job perfectly. But it is not me."

"What are you, then? What do you want to be?"

"I don't know what I am. I want to be you, I want to be free, not anchored to these rules, regulations, and expectations. I hoped that when you returned, I could finally use my vacation days so we could explore the world, and each other. But from what I have seen, the chief barely even gets sleep in the force."

"Let me help you!" Tenzin insisted.

"No, you can't. Apparently my mom made it a clause in protocol. No airbender may participate in any police activity with the exception of removing an exceptionally dangerous person's bending," Lin recited. "That is what you get for trying to save me that day," Lin muttered.

He wrapped his arms around her perpetually hardening body and held her.

"CHIEF BEIFONG! THERE'S BEEN A HIGH PROFILE HEIST AT THE CENTRAL INVESTMENT BANK!" Someone yelled barging in.

"I have to go!" Lin said running after her officers.

Tenzin sighed.  _She'll be okay. She always is, eventually... I think...  
_


	9. 140AG I don't want to be...

**140AG**

"Congrats on making it to chief, Lin!" Kya said running over, throwing her arms around the shorter woman. "I wonder what you're going to do with your night stick later!"

"Yeah! Congrats Beifong! Have you had to use your handcuffs yet? If you'd like to practice, I'll volunteer!" Bumi added jumping on her other side, while her perpetual frown only deepened and her eyes narrowed as she remained silent, walking towards the main house.

"Dammit you two!" Tenzin yelled shoving them off of Lin, putting an arm protectively around her while Kya and Bumi cackled with laughter.

"Lin, how are you feeling?" Katara asked.

"Fine,"

"Honey, I may not have your mother's truth-seeing abilities, but I can tell when you're lying," Katara said soothingly, coming over to wrap her arms around the metal-clad, young chief of police.

"I don't know. I guess I just feel lost. The former chief,"

"Your mother," Katara corrected her.

"The former chief," Lin repeated with a bit of anger and pain in her voice that Katara didn't quite understand yet. "... left no legible notes or instructions or any guidance on how to be Chief of Police. All I know is that there are weekly meetings with the council summarizing the activity for the previous week. I am completely on my own. And if the rookies were afraid of me before, they will be terrified next time I see the on the first three floors. We already have hints of the three biggest gangs preparing for a turf war just to test the new Police Chief, and I am truly afraid!" Lin confessed to Katara not loud enough for Bumi or Kya to hear.

"It is okay to be afraid. It is only when we are afraid that we can truly be brave. You are an excellent fighter, Linny but you must also be smart as Police Chief. Ruthless. You must break the foundation of the triads. Break their leaders, their motivations. It sounds brutal, but most of these gangs are not made of the brightest people in the population, and cannot operate without their governing organizations. But you've always been so analytical and calculating, and mature. I don't worry at all for you, Linny. I think you'll be a great police chief." Katara said trying to comfort the young Chief.

Lin turned to Tenzin with worry.

Dinner on Air Temple Island was rather quiet except for Bumi and Kya's most inappropriately timed comments that elicited either a gust of air, or a small tremor from Tenzin, or Lin respectively.

After dinner was finished the table was cleared, and the dishes cleaned, everybody fell into their evening routines. Kya and Bumi dug into their secret stores of cactus juice that they kept hidden in a basement only Lin and Tenzin ever found out about, Lin because of her seismic sense, and Tenzin because at the time, she told him everything. Tenzin found a nice book and sat down to read in the living room, and Lin, Lin usually joined him on the couch with a cup of tea and a newspaper from either Republic City, Gaoling, Ba Sing Se, or the Capital of the Fire Nation. Where was she.

"It's not just work that's on your mind is it, Linny?" Katara asked holding healing water to the side's of Lin's head while she sat in her night gown on the older woman's bed.

"It is never just work. It's everything, and it's overwhelming," Lin replied solemnly.

"Just say what's on your mind. Let it out. Don't worry about burdening me with your troubles. It will be a relief actually, if I am able to help you get it out," Katara replied.

"I don't want to be chief," Lin confessed.

"Why not?"

"Because I want a family."

Katara's eyebrows raised. She was surprised at first but then remembered Lin never had a father, her grandparents were the opposite of nurturing, Toph was often absent, and Suyin seemed to live to give Lin a hard time. It made sense that she would want somebody to love, to hug and to hold. "You can have both." Katara informed the young woman.

"No, I can't. My mom was chief and she never had time for Su or Me. She was always so busy. She just abandoned us in the arms of Grandfather and Grandmother as soon as she knew that was an option. Before that, she abandoned us with you, and Uncle Aang. I am so appreciative of all you've done for me, but you're still not blood family."

"Lin, you are not your mom. I can tell that much already. She worked those ridiculous hours because she thought it was what you guys needed. She thought she should create a safe enough city for you and Su to be able to run free without her having to worry about someone snatching you up."

"It didn't feel like that growing up."

"What did it feel like?"

"Like she was afraid of us. Afraid of what we would become. And by being gone, she wouldn't have to take the blame if we were fucked up. She could deflect it onto Grandfather and grandmother for raising us."

"Lin, listen to me, sweetie. You don't have to be chief of police if you truly don't want to."

"But somebody has to- the force is full of idiots who know how to swing cables, that is it. There is nobody else who could-"

"Then you don't have to work twenty four hours in a day. Lin, you're not alone. You can still have a family. If anyone in the world can do both, it is you. I was there when Toph gave birth to you. I have watched you grow. When you REALLY want something, and I mean REALLY want something, you make it happen. You've always had this stubborn fire burning so strong and bright in your soul. And Lin, you won't be alone. You will have Tenzin, you will have all of us here for you. Even Kya and Bumi,"

"I don't know if I can trust Kya and Bumi with my family if I choose to have one."

"Lin, they ARE your family whether you like it or not."

"You don't get to choose your family, but you can choose to expand it."

"Yes," Lin sighed. "Maybe not yet, but eventually."

"Remember, we are here for you. Su maybe off doing who knows what and Toph may be traveling, but you STILL have family. Remember that, okay, Linny? You're not alone!" Katara said removing the water. Lin rubbed her head and laid down on the bed.

"Thank you, Aunt Katara," Lin said rubbing her head. Katara ran her fingers through the young woman's jet black hair and traced her jawline.

"Why don't you go to bed early tonight since you kind of missed your day off."

"But I have to read with Tenzin. We always read together before bed."

"Lin, Tenzin is a grown man, not a toddler. I am sure if you skip out on a night, he won't cry. And you'll have a lifetime of nights to read together. Rest, Linny. You need to conserve your energy for what is to come," Katara said.

"Alright," Lin replied sitting up to go to her room on the island.

"Nope! You stay there!"

"But what about you and Uncle Aang?"

"We'll use a guest room."

"But that doesn't make any sense! It is your house. You're not guests."

"I am afraid that as soon as your feet touch the ground, you'll run off and start doing things. You can use our bed tonight. Rest! Please, Linny," Katara said ushering Lin back down, pulling a pillow towards her head and draping a water tribe quilt over the earthbender.

Lin took a deep breath. "Alright." And she closed her eyes and tried to sleep.


	10. A Nightmare or a Dream

**141AG**

"Chief, the Fire Lord is here to see you," Saikhan said knocking on her door.

"Ugh. Let her in," Lin muttered not even looking up from the mountain of paperwork she had to sort through, review and sign. "To what honor do I owe this gracious visit from her royal highness?" Lin asked.

"I am a majesty, not a highness, and Lin, do I really need a reason to come visit my best friend-" Fire Lord Izumi answered.

"While I'm at work?" Lin asked disapprovingly scribbling down a few notes in the margin of a page.

"Yes. It is urgent. I need you to do me a favor, Lin," Izumi said.

"Ugh! What is it?" Lin asked irritably setting down her pen, looking up with her arms folded, leaning back on her chair when she saw what the Fire Lord was holding.

There the Fire Lord stood in her formal robes, crown in her hair, royal guards flanking her, and her six year old son propped up on her hip, wrapped in her arms.

"The Earth Queen has requested an emergency meeting and I am obligated to attend. I need you to watch Iroh for a day and a night while I go to Ba Sing Se-"

"Izumi, I love you, but I am Chief Of Police now! I can't just drop everything and babysit your offspring-"

"And I am Fire Lord now, and he is the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation." Izumi snapped back with a dangerous frown. Do you think I would entrust his life with anybody? I can trust my guards with my life, but not with his, not yet. Not until he can tell me if something goes wrong or someone does something to him. Until then, Lin please, I trust you and I trust your deputy can keep the city standing for a day, at least."

Lin growled. "Fine!" Lin grumbled in defeat standing up with her hands on her desk.

"Thank you, Lin!" Izumi said running around the desk to place Iroh directly into her metal clad arms before fleeing with her guards. Lin held Iroh out as far from her body as she could, examining the six year old child. Izumi left the door open so the entire room of detectives could see the rather, unusual event taking place in the Chief's office.

"Saikhan! You heard the Fire Lord! You're in charge until I get back!" Lin ordered carrying the child out of her office, slamming and locking the door behind her with metalbending. She marched right up to city hall and into the council chamber

"Chief Beifong, what a... pleasant surprise?" The Northern Water Tribe Councilman said nervously eyeing the child dressed like Fire Nation Nobility sitting in her arms.

"Forgive the interruption, Tenzin, we need to talk!" She yelled.

"Uh... Now?" Tenzin asked nervously as he got up.

Lin set the child on the ground and tethered him with her metal cable waiting until he wandered far enough away to not hear a whisper, before speaking.

"I need your help, Zumi left Iroh with me and-"

"You don't know what to do-"

"Yep."

"Well I'm kind of in the middle of something since I am a councilman now and I can't just-"

"And I'm Chief Of Police but this is the FUCKING FIRE LORD OF THE FUCKING FIRE NATION we are speaking about! I think you can take a day off to help me watch the CROWN PRINCE, don't you think?" Lin asked.

Tenzin sighed. "I suppose,"

"I'll wait for you in your office," Lin replied.

* * *

Tenzin explained the rather peculiar situation he was win with as much ambiguity as possible to the other council members of his situation, gathered his papers and took his leave. He found Lin sitting at the guest chair in his tidy office with the six year old boy perched on the edge of his desk facing Lin. The two looked like they were engaged in a rather intense staring contest.

"Took you long enough," Lin muttered folding her arms and legs, turning to face with an irate scowl on her face.

"Unfortunately I cannot simply command the other councilmen to carry on as you can command your subordinates," Tenzin replied filing his papers away while little Iroh pivoted on the desk to watch. Lin sat looking thoroughly displeased with the entire situation while Iroh just seemed curious.

"Hey Iroh! How was the airship ride over? Do you like flying?" Tenzin asked turning his attention to the little Fire Prince.

"How do you know he talks?" Lin asked.

"He's six. Most children start taking before the age of three," Tenzin replied picking up Iroh off his desk.

"Hmph," Lin huffed standing to follow Tenzin out the door of his office.

Tenzin held Iroh in his lap while Lin drove them to the docks of the city in her Satomobile so they could take the ferry back to Air Temple Island. It would be easier to watch them where there was a higher chance of not being ambushed by gangs and/or reporters trying to get to the Crown Prince of the Fire Nation, the Police Chief and heir to the Beifong Fortune, or the young Councilman and son of Avatar Aang.

"I don't understand why he needs watching. When I was six I was cooking breakfast for myself, bottle feeding Su, suffering daily earthbending training then running four miles across the city alone to the docks to get to the ferry to come see you!" Lin replied fumbling around the kitchen to make tea and something for them to eat while Tenzin brought some toys to offer the little prince on the floor of the kitchen. He presented the child with a a couple stuffed animals, dolls, blocks, and a couple toys with moving parts. One toy had a little spinning disk that when you pulled the string, the disk flew up and spun and changed colors by the various flaps turning over while descending.

"We have to watch him to make sure no one tries to sell him to the Triads or the earth queen and to protect him from anyone who still harbors resentment for the Fire Nation," Tenzin explained.

"Makes sense," Lin replied.

"My dad always had me watched even if from afar until I got my own sky bison when I was eight," Tenzin said.

"Don't you think it would get boring after a while? How much really happens in the life of a kid. Most kids these days just eat, sleep, poop, play, and repeat," Lin said transferring some vegetables and tofu into a bowl of fresh rice, squatting down and blowing on it to feed to Iroh.

"I don't think so. I mean, children are constantly growing and changing and learning new things. Just look at Iroh!"

Iroh pulled the string and the toy sailed up. He waddled over to catch it and then put it back on the launch mechanism with a furrowed brow and his tongue between his lips deep in thought. Then he pointed the toy at Lin and pulled the string as it flew towards her face. She covered and it bounced off her metal gauntlet and onto the floor. Tenzin rolled over on the floor of the kitchen laughing while Lin frowned at him. Iroh glanced at her with a worried expression then to Tenzin then he laughed as well. Lin sighed and shook her head. Maybe Iroh did learn. The toy could be used as a weapon. Guess what is going to disappear during nap time!

Lin spoke to Tenzin mostly, feeding Iroh a bite with her chopsticks every time he passed by her until the small child-size bowl was empty. After the food was gone, they moved into the living room where Iroh got to explore a whole new toy box that helps stuff from as far back as Bumi's child hood.

There must have been at least a hundred small to medium toys for the prince to go through in that box. Surely he will be occupied for at least a— minute Lin hoped walking over to the book shelf in the living room on Air Temple Island reaching for an ancient tome about some long-forgotten guru when her thoughts were interrupted.

"Lin, I think he wants to practice his bending," Tenzin said.

"But- we can't help him. We're not firebenders," Lin responded with furrowed brow.

Iroh tugged on Tenzin's robes. He bent down and listened. "Uh huh... uh huh... yeah... don't worry. I'll tell her..." Tenzin stood again.

"He said you don't need to help or teach him. Just watch while he does forms and say if it looks sloppy or not."

"Are these open forms or does it involve fire or bending in any way."

"They're bending forms."

Lin groaned, but knew there was no arguing with the six year old. "Fine, but we're doing it outside where he can't burn everything," Lin replied roughly, walking out of the house with a steady pace expecting Tenzin and Iroh to follow.

They parked themselves on the hexagonal shaped shaped sparring ground on Air Temple Island and watched. Iroh bowed first to his care takers then silently began his form. His fireblasts were small, red and couldn't be sustained as long as they should have been as indicated by how long Iroh held each position. No doubt his trainers told him to keep trying and produce whatever fire he could as long as he had the motions right. The strength in his breath could come later. Lin scowled. Her own mother never tolerated such laziness. She had to work until the move she learnt on that day had been perfected or until she collapsed in exhaustion.

"I thought it was wonderful! Great job Iroh! Hi five!" Tenzin said encouragingly, clapping his hands and hi-fiving the boy. "Lin?"

"Do you meditate, Iroh?" Lin asked.

Iroh looked at her curiously. "Your fire stops short. You need to work on controlling your breath. Fire comes from the breathing and its energy located in the gut. You need to have complete control of yourself before you can completely control such a wild and dangerous element," Lin replied bluntly.

Tenzin frowned at her with his hands on Iroh's shoulders as he looked down sadly.

"You hurt his feelings!" Tenzin accused her.

"I told him the truth! Truth hurts. He'll build a tough skin eventually!" Lin replied.

"He's not a Beifong! He can't handle judgement like you do! He can't just let it fall off his back like water on the shell of a turtle duck!" Tenzin yelled back.

Iroh looked to the two yelling adults and began to cry.

"Great!" Lin folded her arms angrily.

Tenzin wipes the tears from Iroh's eyes and apologized. "She didn't mean to say that and we didn't mean to scare you. We're sorry. Don't cry, buddy. I thought your form was amazing.

"I want my Mother!" Iroh cried.

"So he does speak," Lin thought aloud raising an eyebrow as she watched.

"Your mother is in Ba Sing Se, but in her absence, were here," Tenzin replied softly rubbing the boys back, trying to hug him, but he was resisting.

"I want my mother!" He stomped his foot. "I want her to hug me!"

"She'll be back tomorrow. She can hug you then!"

"I want her now!" He said. His next stomp came with a little flame that caught the corner of Tenzin's cape on fire. Before he could even react, Lin had stomped her foot folding over a piece of earth to smother the flame on the corner of the cape and put it out.

Iroh remembered she existed and looked up at her with some sort of longing or... hopeful(?) eyes.

"I think he wants you to hug him," Tenzin interpreted.

"What?" Lin shrieked. "Won't my armor scratch him or something?"

"Then take it off—"

"Tenzin! He's a little firebender! What if he burns me?"

"He won't!" Tenzin reassured her. "He just wants a hug from his mother, and you're the nearest woman trustworthy right now.

Lin looked around to make sure no one was looking and bent her arm guards and body armor up over her head and off into a heap beside her. Iroh watched with awe. She bent down to one knee cautiously and held out her arms nervously. Iroh ran over and wrapped his arms around her neck and his tiny legs around her torso and she stood up again. The prince leaned his ear against her shoulder and buried his face in her neck. He moved one hand to rest just above her left breast, feeling the softness and warmth of her body through her thin cotton tank top. She found her own feet rooted to the ground but her body swaying as she held him. Her hand spanned his tiny back.

She tried to look at him but her neck was not long enough to move her head far enough from his face on her shoulder for her to see. He wasn't crying anymore. That must be a good thing. She felt his heart beating against her chest. It was so... small. So... no, not weak. Definitely not weak! But there was something about it that was... different than Tenzin's at least, and different from the heartbeats she felt through the ground. It was fragile. Little, and kind of... sweet. She couldn't take her eyes off his tiny body wrapped around her, resting, and breathing lightly. Iroh wasn't angry or mad, Lin realized was just tired. She moved her long, wavy black hair out of his face to the opposite shoulder and continued to sway on the spot rubbing the young boy's back soothingly. For a moment, it seemed all that existed was Iroh there in her arms. Iroh and his tiny, fragile heart beat. She stared down at him curiously. How long could he just lay there draped over her shoulder. She reached out with her seismic sense and felt out his heartbeat again. Great! Now, now he's sleeping.

Lin looked around at the courtyard thinking about how she was going to get her armor into the house while her arms were full with Iroh, not wanting to put him down when she saw Tenzin standing before her with the most smug expression she'd ever seen on the gentle, peace-loving airbender. Her own peaceful expression dissipated and was quickly replaced by the too-familiar scowl she wore in her natural state of existence.

"What are you smiling at?!" she demanded quieter than she usually would.

"You like him!" Tenzin replied.

"I-" she knew where he was going with this. He would ask again about her thoughts on having children. He knew she wanted them, but when? She didn't feel ready. She didn't hate Iroh and while she had reservations about watching him, it wasn't so bad and certainly not boring. And this... this... little life, on her shoulder... it felt... nice...

Tenzin laughed. "Now you can't tell me you hate children," he said taking advantage of her thought filled silence as she became distracted by her own mind.

"That doesn't mean I'm ready to have them now. I just became chief a year ago and having a kid will mean taking time off and I really can't afford more than a day a month with the Triads gaining ground and members!" Lin replied in an angry whisper, instinctively covering Iroh's free ear with her free hand, stroking the hair back on his Temple soothingly.

"I know, but eventually,"

Lin sighed. "Eventually, we will work something out," she said reluctantly. She looked down at Iroh. "Maybe I wouldn't mind having one of these, just not now."

* * *

"Okay! The guest room is all set up with fresh linens and pillow casings and- Lin?" Tenzin announced coming into the living room. He found Lin dead asleep on the couch in the living room with six year old Iroh drooling on her white tank top, both perfectly at peace. He couldn't help but smile at the sight of the love of his life, tolerating a child. Tenzin shrugged and rather disturb them, planted a kiss on Lin's forehead and the back of Iroh's head and went to take an ancient tome off the shelf written by some long forgotten guru and read when he felt the door squeak slowly open.

"Izu-"

"Sh!" Izumi hissed waving him outside.

"I thought you had to meet with the Earth Queen!" Tenzin exclaimed in a frantic whisper.

"I lied. A few months ago you mentioned how Lin was so reluctant to have children even though she said she wanted a family, and I couldn't believe it, so I just had to change try something to change her mind!" Izumi said with a smile.

"But-" Tenzin paused to think before smiling and pumping his fists. "Zumi, you're a genius!"

Izumi laughed. "I know! I'm just checking in. You guys still get to keep him for the night. Don't forget to bathe him no later than an hour before he sleeps, and he likes to hear a story before bed. It can be about anything really. I think he just likes hearing someone's voice as he falls asleep to helps him feel less lonely," Izumi informed him.

Tenzin nodded. They both looked through the window at the young, but revered Chief of Police laying completely motionless on the couch with the Fire Prince drooling carelessly on her chest.

"They're so beautiful together," Tenzin breathed.

"They are," Izumi admitted. "Now you kids have fun. By the way, Suyin sneaked back into town yesterday, but don't worry. She'll be with Kya and me for the duration of her stay-"

"Kya's back too?"

"Yeah! There's a pro-bending tournament tonight and we thought we might shake up some of the amateurs-" Izumi said deviously.

"That's not fair! You're Fire Lord and master of fire, lightning, and combustion, when you're angry."

"If I can only do it when I am angry, then it is not really mastery level bending. It is just uncontrolled tantrum bending," Izumi replied. "Besides, what they don't know can't hurt them." Izumi added with a devilish grin. She took one last glance at her son and then to Tenzin. "See you tomorrow morning, Tenzin"

Lin woke up first but didn't move hen she felt the weight of the little prince still in her chest. She smiled and stroked his sweaty hair away from his face and rubbed his arm with her thumb. She rested her left arm behind her head and just looked up at the ceiling, thinking about one day, possibly having one of her own.

Finally, Iroh began to stir. He propped himself up on his arms and looked at her curiously.

"Good morning, Little Prince," she said to him softly giggling at his sweaty hair he blinked his eye lazily and put a hand on her breast and began to turn over.

She winced at the pressure and held his wrist to relieve herself of it slightly and he settled back asleep on his back this time. With his sweaty head just under her chin.

"How are are you holding up, Chief?" Tenzin asked entering the room with a cup of tea and a newspaper.

"Chief, heh," she laughed. "Look at me, I've been reduced to a piece of furniture, Tenzin."

"That's your fault for also falling asleep before I had the guest room ready-"

"You could have readied it while he was showing me his forms."

"I didn't want to leave you guys alone, then."

"Why? Were you worried I'd bury him if he made me mad?"

"Maybe."

"Come here," she said beckoning for him closer. She grabbed the front of his robes and pulled his lips against hers.

"I love you, Tenzin. I know I may not always act like it, but I do and I want us to be together and eventually, to have one or some of our own. I just don't know when," Lin said caressing the little prince's upper arm with the thumb of her other hand, not taking her eyes away from Tenzin.

He smiled and kissed her back. "I know."

* * *

After Iroh finally woke up, Lin took him outside and sparred with him, throwing small rocks and pebbles at him at a rather slow speed so he could practice evading and redirecting them with his fire blasts from his hands and feet. He laughed and smiled and eventually ducked past a few rocks and jumped at her. She pretended to fall down and he tried to tickle her. She slammed both hands on the ground invading them in pebbles like the Dai Li rock gloves and grabbed Iroh by one foot and dangled him up side down while he screamed and she laughed. Then she tickled him back then took him in her arms trapping his little hands between their bodies and kissed him on the head.

"And that's what will happen if you EVER try to tickle Aunt Linny again!" she said evilly pointing at his his nose.

Iroh frowned, but smiled as soon as she put him down again and then they played tag.

Tenzin looked over the dishes out the window at the two in the courtyard and smiled. Lin looked so happy with the little boy.

Tenzin made dinner that night and the three ate together at the table instead of on the floor of the kitchen like at lunch.

"And then the dragon flew into the volcano and swallowed the lava and returned to battle and spit it all out on the enemy regiment and froze everyone in black glass and ash!" Iroh recounted his favorite story at the dinner table.

"I believe that black glass is called obsidian Iroh," Lin informed the young boy with a raised eyebrow and a smile.

"Oh. Okay. Obsidian!" Iroh repeated, liking the way it felt on his tongue.

After dinner, Lin bathed Iroh while Tenzin cleaned up the kitchen. She told him the story of the Painted Lady who saved a fishing village from starvation and then kissed the top of his head and tucked him into bed and waited until he slept before leaving. She put Tenzin on duty so she could change out of her soiled tank top and dirty pants and bathe herself and get ready for bed.

"How do you feel now?" Tenzin asked stroking her cheek once they were alone again.

"Exhausted," Lin replied. "I don't know how Izumi has managed six years with this thing."

"And he's not even that bad." Tenzin said.

"Yeah. He is pretty sweet. Especially for a prince. You should see some of the rich children in the Ba Sing Se shopping center. They're not even royalty yet act like little demons, I swear-"

"Your children will be rich."

"But I won't give them designer clothing and lead them to expect anything to be given to them unconditionally," Lin replied.

"I love that about you. You're so humble and modest. You're not a typical lady or a typical bender or a typical woman. You're not a typical anything. Everything about you is just... amazing." Tenzin replied kissing her. "You're like a dream to me sometimes."

"Sometimes?" Lin asked breaking away from the kiss looking at him questioningly. She smirked. "And what am I like the rest of the time?"

"A fucking nightmare..." Tenzin replied pressing his lips against hers again before she could speak again.


	11. 146AG Surprise

**146AG**  
"So, how's the baby making Tenten?" Izumi asked with her elbow on the table, her chin resting on her fist looking over at her friend with great interest

"I don't know, Lin is worried. The Triads have been acting up lately and-"

"The Triads are ALWAYS acting up. I honestly don't think that's the reason she is so reluctant about trying."

"We are still trying but I don't know if she's still drinking that tea or not."

"Why don't I bring Ursa by next time I visit,"

"Ursa?"

"My daughter? Tenzin, you haven't heard? I swore I sent you a letter about her when she was born a few months ago."

"Months? Izumi!"

Izumi sighed. "Calm down Tenzin. Everything will be alright. Lin will come around. Trust me." Izumi replied.

"Iroh was one kid! What if all of mine come out acting like my mom, or Su or WORSE! What if they come out exactly like me? This rash- volatile- stubborn ass of a human being?"

* * *

"You're not rash, youre only a little volatile and only about certain things, and you can't help but be stubborn. You're an earthbender for crying out loud. Don't worry. Besides. You cannot blame all of what you are on what you inherited from your family. Your environment/upbringing had to have played a major role in everything. Things will be different. The child we will raise will have both of us. He or she can learn how to be direct and stubborn from you, and how to be evasive and easy going from me. He or she will have balance. I promise the responsibility won't just fall on you automatically. I will be here. I will help you. I love you, Lin." Tenzin said wrapping his arms around her naked body after another night of lovemaking, not knowing if she was or wasn't drinking moon tea.

The next day, Izumi barged into the Police Headquarters just like she did five years prior.

"Lin,"

If Lin were a firebender, she would have burned the papers on her desk with that heavy exhale of frustration.

"Where is Iroh? He's what eleven now?"

"He went with my father to try to learn proper firebending from the original Masters. Please, Lin!" Izumi begged.

Lin eyed her suspiciously. "Fine," Lin said after a tense few minutes of grueling silence that Izumi knew better than to break.

Lin opened a new wardrobe she had installed in her office that contained a few coats and costumes for undercover work. She bent off her uniform and threw it carelessly in before grabbing some green and beige casual clothes.

"I didn't realize that armor could come off in this building!" Izumi exclaimed with glee.

"Haha," Lin replied with narrow eyes. "Well I learned last time, kids don't have any care for touching armor."

"No, shit Lin!" Izumi replied.

"Hey! Language, in front of children!"

"Lin, she's my daughter. I can say what I want in front of her. Besides, she's too young to repeat what she hears anyways."

"It's still not a very good practice to get into, swearing in front of them," Lin replied pulling on a black cloak over her green and beige casual clothes then extending her arms towards the baby. "How old is she?"

"Six months."

"And still breastfeeding, right?" Lin asked looking down at the baby girl's squishy little face with a certain curiosity or determination that Izumi found absolutely adorable.

"Yes, which is why I've brought a cooler for you. After feeding her, I pumped what was left into containers. You can heat it over some coals until its-" Izumi paused and Lin looked up at her with a rather puzzled expression on her face. "Usually I just heat it with my hand but you're not a firebender so… just touch it and take it off the flame once it reaches body temperature." Izumi explained.

"I'd rather not touch it thanks." Lin said with a deadpan expression on her face.

"Then how will you-" Izumi began to ask.

"We have a thermometer at home with I am sure is more accurate than the temperature nerves in my finger," Lin replied. "Don't worry!"

"Thank you Lin! I owe you one! Maybe when you have children of your own, I can take them to Ember Island for a week or something."

"No," Lin replied firmly. "Now, don't you have somewhere to be?"

"Right! See you tomorrow, Linny!"

"Yeah, sure." Lin replied skeptically. "SAIKHAN! Keep the city from destroying itself. I should be back tomorrow!" she yelled walking out of Headquarters carrying the baby in one hand and a cooler in the other. She called a trusted driver instead of a taxi and held the little Fire Princess securely in her lap as they made their way to the docks.

Back on Air Temple Island, she placed the infant girl on the table for a second to put the containers of Izumi's milk into the ice box before moving herself and the little princess into the living room. She sat down in the center of the carpet and placed the girl on the floor.

"What do I do with you?" she asked. Lin walked over to the book shelf and pulled a massive tome off the bottom shelf. It had a worn out canvas cover that was merely sewn over the real cover. She opened it.

"Five months… five months… five months… Baby should be able to sit upright unassisted for a few seconds at a time… may start rolling from back to tummy, working legs, and rocking… hmmmm… gearing up for mobility, are ya?" Lin asked unswaddling the princess so she lay in her little crimson onesie blowing spit bubbles and babbling. Lin leaned over so she was directly above the baby, not wanting the curious girl to strain her eyes to try to get a good look at her new caretaker. She glanced back at the open book on the floor beside the girl. "Likes music and colors…. we may have a couple of blocks left over from our youth in the toy box." Lin mused walking over to check. She memorized the "what to expect from a 5 month old" section, 4 month old, and 6 month old just in case and stowed the book away.

The little girl looked human but at the same time not. Ursa's four little limbs looked like they were simply spasming with no real control. The sounds she made were incoherent, and the way she looked at Lin were rather curious. The book said a five month old can't really see shapes or figures, but could distinguish two shades of the same color relatively easily. And how exctly would they be able to tell what a baby was capbable of seeing? Lin could not tell.

Lin offered the child toys and picked them up when they were thrown away, and read stories of all the great heroes in all of the horrible wars while the the infant was awake, fed her, burped her, and changed a soiled napkin all before the child fell asleep again. Lin then dug out her guzheng after reading that music was good for babies and and would help their learning. The old instrument needed to be tuned first, which was no problem for Lin who had a little known talent for hearing music. She played softly while the child slept peacefully. When Lin grew bored of the guzheng, she dug out her mid and low range huqins and tuned and played those instruments too. Maybe those stupid music lessons that Lao and Poppy made her take weren't a complete waste after all.

The afternoon felt more like just entertaining herself with a five month old nearby than actually watching the five month old lay flailing on the floor, with no rolling quite yet. Just when she was about to pick up the guzheng again, the door opened rather loudly.

"SHHHHHH!" Lin hissed.

Baby Ursa took a deep breath, but didn't wake, and Lin let out a sigh of relief.

"You're- home- and with-"

"Don't get too excited. She's not mine." Lin replied quickly.

"You didn't come get me," Tenzin said a little surpised. Izumi didn't tell him how soon she would bring Ursa by, and upon hearing that the Princess was such a young baby, worried that Lin would panic or not be able to handle the little thing.

"You were in he middle of a special session," Lin replied calmly, looking down at the little face, studying it closely.

"That didn't stop you last time from barging in," Tenzin reminded her. She laughed lightly. She seemed… different. Children softened her. Made her happy… why didn't she ever want to…

"Do you think she has Mai or Azula's chin? I can't tell," Lin asked.

"My love, I haven't seen Azula since I was twelve. How could I remember?" Tenzin asked.

"Just look at Ursa, Tenzin and tell me what you think," Lin said removing the guzheng from her lap and placing it beside her.

"I think she looks like Izumi," Tenzin replied. Lin looked up and frowned at him. "Izumi wasn't an option, dumb dumb," she said in the same mocking voice that Azula had when she was a teenager.

"Sorry, I am just not good with faces, especially when they're not in front of me."

"You'd make a horrible detective then," Lin commented with a smirk.

"And that is why I am a councilman." Tenzin replied hanging up his travelling cape in the coat room of the main house, trying not to let his complete awe of her confidence, and behavior show through. He sat down next to her. "How long have you been watching her sleep?"

Lin looked up at the ticking clock in the corner. "About an hour and forty seven minutes, counting from when her eyes actually closed."

"That is very… precise-"

"I wanted to track it… I have been— never mind," Lin said shaking her head with... embarrassment, maybe, turning away from Tenzin.

"No, tell me!" Tenzin said nudging her arm lightly.

"I've just been reading about a baby's various developmental stages and wanted to see if it was true or not about them needing two or three naps, and how long they napped, and if she would sleep through the night before needing to be fed again and…" Lin paused and looked down again at Ursa.

"Is this a new development or is it related to something happening with you?" Tenzin asked.

"I'm not pregnant, if that is what you want to know, but I am off the moon tea. I have been only for about a month now." Lin said nervously. She turned to him with a death glare. "Don't make me want to get back on it again."

"I won't!" Tenzin replied putting his hands up innocently. So she does want children… and she's been preparing? That's why she was so open to taking Ursa, and so willing to do it on her own and not wanting to disturb Tenzin at work. She wanted to practice caring for a baby on her own.

* * *

**146AG (four months later)**

"Lin, are you home? I swung by Police Headquarters and they said you'd already left for the day! I brought your favorite dumplings!" Tenzin called.

"From Ding's?" Lin asked poking her head out of a guest room.

"Pork chive, your favorite!" Tenzin said dangling the bag in his hand. She rushed over to him, took the bag, and dug in with her hands, shoving an entire dumpling into her mouth before he could stop her or ask that she find a plate first. She was wearing black wide pants and a rather loose dark green gown that buttoned down across her chest and down the side of her body, with slits in both sides of the skirt that began at her waist and fell to the floor. She inhaled the first and went for a second one as if she hadn't eaten in weeks. Tenzin looked at her strangely. "You seem in a rather unusually good mood," he commented.

"Of course I am. You brought me meat. You never do that!" Lin replied. with a mouth full of pork chive dumplings, as she turned and made her way to the kitchen.

"No like a REALLY good mood. And you never leave work early."

"I didn't feel like I needed to be there. Things have been going well, or at least normal, and there was something else that needed me," Lin replied ambiguously.

Tenzin examined her from behind with great difficulty as her loose dress made it hard to see if there were any changes to her body. "What were you doing in that room? You don't usually use it for anything."

"You can't go in there!" She said nearly dropping the bag of dumplings on the table before running through the side door of the dining room to slam the door shut and lock it with a disturbingly large number of key locks, padlocks, and slide locks that were mounted on the inside of the door. She locked them all with metalbending. If Tenzin wanted to get in, he'd have to break the hinges on the other side or remove the wall completely.

He watched her with great curiosity.

"So how was your day at work, sweetie?" Lin asked. "Have you eaten?"

"Yes, I went out for dinner with some new legislators," Tenzin replied.

"It must have been dreadfully boring."

"For you. I very much enjoy meeting the new young faces and hearing their ambitious proposals and goals." Tenzin replied.

Lin laughed. "Young faces. You're such an old soul Tenzin. You do realize you're only twenty seven yourself, right?" Lin asked.

"I suppose," Tenzin said. He sat across from her, watching her eat the dumplings right out of the container in the bag, not bothering to get a pair of chopsticks or a proper plate. She was ravenous, and happy. "Okay! I am going to pull a you right now! Spit it out already! This isn't you! Who are you and what have you done with Lin Beifong" Tenzin yelled.

Lin closed her eyes and smiled. Her heart was racing, beating wildly with excitement.

"I've been leaving work early for a while now, and staying off of most missions and I wanted to surprise you when the room was finished, but you'll probably see it on me not before long, so, go take a look at what has been done so far," Lin said waving her left hand lazily through the air. Tenzin could hear the absurd number of locks coming undone and the door to that previously unused room swing open.

Lin just looked at him, smiling, munching on another dumpling and didn't say another word.

He was almost afraid to go see. He didn't want to get his hopes up if it wasn't what he thought it was. He slowly stood up, eyeing her suspiciously for one last time and then went to go see.

The first thing he saw was two rather large stuffed animals in the corner, one was a sky bison and the other a badgermole. Surrounding them were several smaller stuffed animals: turtle ducks, koalasheep, and flying lemurs. The wall to Tenzin's immediate left had been painted with the grassy plains of the Earth Kingdom with some green mountains and a brown clay village in the background. The wall opposite showed a spectacular view of the Patola Mountain Range with the Southern Air Temple. Then Tenzin noticed the furniture that stood against the wall with the Patola Mountain Range. A crib, a rocking chair, and dressing table with a cushion on top and shelves stocked full of clean napkins, waiting to be soiled.

Tenzin put a hand against the door frame to steady himself as he continued looking around. The wall that the door was embedded in had a spectacularly detailed painting of the Fire Nation Capitol and the palace, and the last wall with the window, had a side view of the Southern Water Tribe with the window boasting a view of Yue Bay. He looked over at the wardrobe made of a dark cherry wood, standing against the Fire Nation wall. He looked at the carpet on the floor that boasted the symbol of all four elements, and he looked at a little collection of weapons hanging on the wall, an antique bow and arrow from one of the first Yuyan Archers, a set of Kyoshi fans, a set of dual swords and a blue spirit mask, a boomerang, and a glider were arranged in a display case along the Earth Kingdom Wall well out of reach for a child ten years and younger.

"Lin-" Tenzin wheezed, feeling as if all of the air within him had left his body. He turned to see her standing beside him, grinning.

"It's happened," Lin said quietly, embracing him into her arms. He wrapped his arms around her and started crying on her shoulder like a baby. She just patted his back and held him until he could breathe again. He placed his right hand on her belly, and moved it lower, over her abdomen.

"How far along are you?" Tenzin asked looking at his beautiful earthbender with tears in his eyes.

"Twenty weeks. The book says I should have been showing around fourteen, but I didn't. The healers at the hospital said it was nothing to worry about. Every pregnancy after the first will show sooner, once all the muscles have been..." she paused. "stretched already."

Tenzin only sobbed harder as Lin looked at him with a content bemusement.


	12. 147AG Arguing

**147AG**  
"We should tell the press. It will give the world hope to know that a potential airbender has been born," Tenzin said after coming out of the shower. Their daughter was already in her crib, sleeping soundly. Lin sat up in their bed

"NO, Tenzin. I won't allow it!"

"Why not? Lin, my father passed away a few years ago, and the new avatar still hasn't been found. I am the last airbender.

"I am aware, but you CHOSE me to marry and have your offspring! I am an earthbender and I don't want our child to grow up finding articles in the library archives about how she was SUPPOSED to be an airbender if she isn't one. I don't want her to grow up with strangers telling her what she should do or how she should act or what she should be. I want her to be free!"

"How is keeping her hidden supposed to make her feel free? You'd be no different than your grandparents, Lao and Poppy by hiding her from the world like Toph was hidden until she ran away at twelve!"

"Don't you DARE compare me to them, Tenzin. For one second, think of our daughter! Even now, not just when you were a child, NOW, you're NOTHING but the son of Avatar Aang and the only hope for the Air Nomads. Same for me, I am NOTHING but the daughter of the first metalbender and the greatest earthbender in the world! I don't want Mina to grow up with the weight of the world's expectations on her shoulders. I don't want her to be just some nameless descendant of war heroes and legends. She's not a trophy you can parade around to spread hope. She is a real, living, human thing and she's my daughter too and I don't want her to feel the pressure and pain we had to endure since infancy!"

"How can you say that? I thought you of all people would want her to be strong and learn about the world and its history and her family's history! You're babying her!"

"Because she still IS a baby, Tenzin! She's barely two years old and still sucking on my breast occasionally. There are still supporters of Ozai who want Azula on the throne and would love to see Zumi and her children dead. There are still triad members whose leaders I have killed or imprisoned who want ME dead and would love to get their hands on our defenseless infant while we sleep! It is too dangerous. WE WILL NOT bring her anywhere or put her picture or name in some spiritforsaken paper until she's ready."

"Ready for what?" tensin asked.

"Ready to defend herself from whatever might come of our mistake. Do you remember what Izumi told us when she first entrusted us with Iroh?"

"What?"

"That she would trust the guards with her life, but not with her son's life. I feel the same way with Mina. I trust myself to take on the world and its cruel words, and I can trust you to take on the world, but I can not trust Mina. She's young, impressionable, and I don't want her to break under all the pressure like I did."

"You did not break, Lin-"

"You don't know that. Apparently, you don't know anything about me, Tenzin," Lin replied, her anger turning to hurt as she turned on her heel with tears in her eyes and walked back inside the house to the nursery. She stared at their baby sleeping soundly.  _Mine!_  She thought slightly possessively.  _Mine! I grew her inside of me, I will make the decisions_.

Lin slept in the chair in the nursery that night, afraid. Not wanting to leave her daughter's side. She woke at the slightest gurgle from the little girl and bolted to her crib side.

_It was just a little dream. She's fine, Lin! Breathe!  
_

And she settled back in her chair. She fed the girl and held her and burped her and changed her diaper and set her back down again.

* * *

"What if she's an earthbender? What will we do then?" Lin asked Tenzin one morning while they walked around their peaceful island together while an Acolyte made sure their baby didn't die for the twenty minutes they planned on being away.

"Try again," Tenzin replied without thinking.

"WRONG ANSWER!" Lin yelled nearly knocking him off the dirt path of the cliff trail that encircled the island.

"What? Lin! You're being ridiculous!" Tenzin said bracing himself from the sand with a gust of air as she jumped off the path down to the beach to join him.

"I'm being ridiculous?!" Lin laughed, insulted. "Tenzin! I may act like one sometimes but I am not a MACHINE! I won't just sit around and make babies until you get an airbender-"

"But Lin! I'm the last airbender! It is critical for my nation that I- that we-"

"I don't care! Duty doesn't excuse how you've been acting!" Lin said her voice and the ground cracking under her rage.

"The world needs airbenders! What did you want me to say?"

"Say that even if she's an earthbender, promise you will still love her and THEN we can try again!" Lin said. "Promise you won't neglect her like your father neglected Kya and Bumi-"

"My father didn't neglect Kya and Bumi!"

Lin laughed. "You really are Aang 2.0. Hypocritical and in denial of everything!"

"How can you say that about my father! You adored him!"

"When I was a child, yes. But as I grew up, as I saw Kya and Bumi's discontent, their neglect, my opinions changed. I saw the hypocrisy in the hero. Your father barely noticed them. He kissed Aunt Katara every day, he rubbed your bald head every passing and went on his merry way. He rarely so much as glanced at Kya or Bumi because they weren't airbenders. But why should I be surprised about you? You've always wanted to be your father. Well OPEN YOU EYES, Tenzin. You're NOT AANG! YOU ARE TENZIN AND THIS IS YOUR LIFE! Don't fuck it up by pissing me off!" Lin yelled storming away, cracking the ground with every step she took.

Tenzin found Lin meditating in the gazebo. She never meditated. She must have been doing something right because he didn't feel her coming. Or maybe it was just because she was sitting on wood. And the wind filled her ears.

He didn't want to disturb her. He walked around the gazebo. Cried tears added lines to her scarred face. Mina didn't seem to be affected. She looked like she was smiling while she slept Tenzin ducked into the bushes as Lin moved.

She stretched her arms and cracked her shoulders, back and neck and looked down at her baby.

"Sometimes, I wish you will not be a bender at all so you can forge your own path like Uncle Bumi. You can learn to fight with a broad sword like my uncle Sokka or with dual swords like my uncle Zuko, or maybe throw knives like the Former Fire Lady Mai. You could learn chi-blocking like the lady Ty Lee of the Fire Nation. Maybe you'll use tiger hook like your Grandma Katara's first boyfriend, Jet. Jet may have been troubled but he was still a great warrior and his heart was in the right place. I am sure you will read about him someday. Or maybe you don't have to be a warrior at all. Maybe you could be a florist, or an herbalist or a dressmaker or an architect! Mina, be what you want to be. Don't let anyone decide for you, not me, not Daddy. Just- don't eat yourself into oblivion. Be happy and healthy, please." Lin bent over and held her. The little girl woke and started to squirm. She sat up and crawled all over Lin, trying to climb onto her shoulders. Lin laughed and caught her.

"Mama, I want to fly!" Mina said.

Lin picked her up and got ready to throw her a foot over head and catch her again, butt he small girl protested..

"No, not free flying. I want to fly close,"

"Tethered," Lin corrected her. She set Mina down and bent on her police uniform which lay in a heap nearby and the girl out her arms out. Lin looped her cables around her daughter's arms and torso and swung her around a few times in the gazebo while the little girl squealed with glee. Lin set her down gently and watched as she stumbled around, dizzy, before flopping onto her diapered bottom and crawled out of the gazebo and over to a flower bush and smelled the products of it happily.

"I don't understand you, Mina," Lin said to her daughter. "You want to fly, but you always insist upon remaining tied to the ground, to me."

Tenzin shifted in the bush and Mina turned. She didn't see him.

"What is it, sweet thing?" Lin asked.

Mina shrugged and turned around again.

_Seismic sense maybe?_  Tenzin thought growing sadder with every moment.


	13. 153AG Completely Alone

**153AG**

"Lin, its okay. You couldn't do anything about it." Tenzin said putting a hand on her shoulder. She shoved him away, bending a rock up to divide them physically and keep him away.

"No, Tenzin, you don't understand. It is NOT okay! I should have kept her home from that stupid party. I should have stopped you from showing her to the world—"

"But you didn't. Lin, we can't change the past. We just have to move on."

"Move on? MOVE ON?" Lin asked bending a massive fissure in the island. "Tenzin, it has been a day!" She added subconsciously destroying the airbending gates with a wave of her hand. "We lost our DAUGHTER to a fucking blood bender and you think I can just MOVE ON?" she shrieked as one of the bison stables collapsed, metal reinforcements and all. "YOU can move on?" She asked destroying the gazebo. "What kind of airbender are you?" She scoffed over turning some balance poles. "I thought all life was supposed to be sacred, but you can't even take a second to grieve your OWN DAUGHTER with me!" she yelled as the whole island began to tremble. "Have you tried getting into the spirit world recently? Have you unlocked that last chakra? Probably. Mina should have been your last earthly attachment since it most certainly wasn't me and she's GONE now, so go! Flee the material world for the land of purple poppies and rainbows and sunshine. Just leave me alone!"

"Lin-"

"Don't—" Lin sobbed. "Don't talk to me. Just—" She hiccuped. "Go." Lin ordered closing herself off, permanently. He watched her fall to her knees, hiccup one last time, grip her hands and her feet into the earth, and look up at the sky. The last tear of her life fell that night as her face took on a new look. Complete indifference. She wiped her eyes and stood up and went inside to pack a bag.

"Where are you going?"

"To my apartment in the city. I can't stay here anymore. I see her face everywhere I turn, and it hurts too much." Lin said with no expression on her face. She boarded the ferry and left.

* * *

Lin was right. He saw Mina everywhere too. He passed the demolished airbending gates where they had taught their daughter to 'be the leaf' together.

_"But what if I am not an airbender, Daddy? What if I am an earth bender like Mommy?" four-year-old Mina asked in her little high pitched voice._

_"It makes no difference. Agility and evasion is important for all bending styles, and non-bending styles," Lin told the girl encouragingly._

_"But I thought earthbenders were supposed to face their problems head-on!" Mina replied._

_"In any battle, there are options for how to use your energy called jing..." Lin began to explain._

_"I know! Daddy already told me! There's positive jing when you're attacking and negative jing when you're retreating." Mina recited without understanding.  
_

_"And there is neutral jing, when you do nothing!"_

_"There are three jing?_

_"Well, actually there are 85 but lets focus on the third. To be an airbender, you have to know how to avoid your attacks. You let them wear themselves down, and tire out before attacking. Effective, but time consuming. To be an earth bender, a GOOD earthbender like your grandmother and me, you have to be very adept at waiting patiently, listening for just the right moment, look for just the right opening, and then attack," Lin said holding Mina's hands. "Don't be intimidated by the turning gates. It is not too hard. I learned it too when I was your age."_

_"Really?"_

_"Mhm! It was bitter work, but I couldn't let Baldy over there beat me at something that looked SOOOO easy!" Lin said with a smirk._

_Mina turned to Tenzin. "Okay! I am ready to learn!" she exclaimed pumping her fists with that Beifong determination in her._

A tear escaped Tenzin's eyes knowing that his little girl would never again pass through those gates and be greeted with cheers from both parents on the other side. He continued walking and came across the demolished gazebo. One of the beams had fallen on the lavender rose bush that Mina loved to smell before and after every family meditation time.

_"I don't understand why we all have to meditate. It is so boring!" five-year-old Mina groaned kicking a twig as they walked towards the pavilion._

_"You need to learn patience, and take time to reflect, breathe, and find peace within yourself." Tenzin replied simplifying the meaning, deciding not to mention spirituality quite yet._

_"Peace with what?" Mina asked._

_"What you are, what is around you, what you have been and what you will be..." Lin listed as she walked, holding Tenzin's hand tightly._

_Mina stopped skipping and kicking twigs and looked around._

_"What is it, Mina?" Lin asked curiously_

_"Nothing," Mina replied eyeing a bush a ways away._

Tenzin arrived at the demolished bison stables. Oogi and the other four had managed to escape before the metal support beams could crunch on top of them bringing down the clay shingled roof, fortunately, but the hay and saddles were completely inaccessible until the rubble could be cleared.

_"Okay, first rule of flying. Hold on tight, and don't look directly down. You can look around, but not down, and hold on tight, okay?" Tenzin told her on their first ride on Oogi._

_"Okay!" six-year-old Mina said excitedly_

_"Now, let's go surprise Mommy at headquarters!"_

_"Onward, Oogi! Yip yip!" Mina yelled gleefully from the saddle._

Lin nearly had a heart attack when they took off from the roof of the Police Headquarter building. She wrapped a cable around the waist of the girl when she got worried Mina was leaning too far over the edge of the saddle.

_"Mom! I got all the way here without falling out, and I was looking the same way!" Mina exclaimed._

_"I know. I am not worried about you falling. I am more worried about if a bird comes and Oogi jerks to the side to avoid him, then we all will tumble out and plummet hundreds of feet to our death..." Lin lied nervously, looking over her side of the saddle at the ground below. "It is just earthbender fears about being so high up. See? I am tethered too," Lin added looping the cables form her other hand around the holes in the edge of the saddle._

_"Oh," Mina sighed._

Why did that make her sad? Tenzin gasped. She thought because she liked flying, she wouldn't be an earth bender!

_"Why do we have to attend this party?" seven-year-old Mina asked kicking a pebble she had brought into City Hall all the way from Air Temple Island. She liked kicking things, rocks mostly and she didn't beg to fly as often now._

_"Because many years ago, there was a very terrible war," Lin began to explain._

_"The Hundred Year War," Mina replied immediately, looking down at the pebble she juggled with her feet.  
_

_"Yes, and you know the people who ended the war?"_

_"Fire Lord Zuko, the banished prince, Avatar Aang, Waterbending Master Katara, Swordmaster Sokka, Master Toph Beifong, the Greatest Earth Bender in Modern History..." the girl recited from memory of her history lessons with the air acolytes on Air Temple Island.  
_

_"Toph would argue that ever existed," Lin interrupted._

_"But has she ever fought Avatar Kyoshi?" Mina asked looking up for a brief moment.  
_

_"Good point!"_

_"The Leader of the Kyoshi Warrior Suki, and the handful of old people that made up the original White Lotus..." Mina continued listing.  
_

_"Well the White Lotus existed long before the end of the Hundred Year War, but yes, those handful of 'old people' are the most memorable members of it in modern history."_

_"So what do they have to do with this party?" Mina asked pursing her lips, furrowing her eyebrows, and scrunching up her nose, still focusing on the pebble between her feet.  
_

_"They ended the war. That end is what we are celebrating tonight, and we are the city's honored guests."_

_"Why?"_

_"Don't let ANY of this go to your head, but think for a second." Lin said bending down to her daughter's level looking her in the eyes. "My name is Lin Beifong."_

_Mina looked up. Why didn't she notice it before. "You're Toph Beifong's daughter!"_

_"...and Chief of Police of Republic City," Lin added. "...and Your father," Lin paused so he could introduce his full title and parentage to their daughter._

_Tenzin also bent down to tell her. "My name is Tenzin, and I am the youngest son of Avatar Aang, and Waterbending Master Katara," Tenzin told their daughter. "And we are here in their absence to celebrate their many great accomplishments."_

_Mina looked up at her parents pensively, rolling the pebble beneath her shoe. "Will I end a war some day?" Mina asked innocently._

_"I hope you won't ever have to," Lin replied taking her hand, leading her t_ _hrough the stage door and i_ _nto the ballroom when Lin's name was called. Tenzin would be the last one called since he was the youngest child of Avatar Aang and Master Katara. Mina seemed comfortable on the stone stage, until her head whipped around to the other stage door._

It was seismic sense, Tenzin realized. Mina just didn't know it so she didn't tell Lin or him anything.

* * *

Lin was the first to arrive to the girl's funeral, personally walling off the entire cemetery with stone slabs that stood over a hundred feet high on that day to protect her family's privacy.

Katara and Sokka came from the South Pole. Toph came from the swamp. Suyin came from Zaofu with her architect husband and a son who was far too young to remember any of it. Kya came from the desert, Bumi came from a United Forces Ship docked in Chameleon Bay. Suki came from Kyoshi Island. Fire Lord Izumi, Lord Zuko, Prince Iroh, and Prince Ursa, Lady Mai, and Ty Lee all came from the Fire Nation. Nobody, spoke to Lin and Lin spoke to nobody. She watched as they lowered the small casket into the ground with their seven year old inside. Not a single tear fell. She had no more tears left to cry. She enclosed her heart in the body of that girl that they buried in the ground. Tenzin wanted to walk up to her. To comfort her in any way.

She took one last breath and knelt before the hole as each attendee tossed a flower to the girl. Tenzin chose a lavender rose, Mina's favorite and threw it in after everyone else except Lin. Lin had chosen a lavender rose too, tucked under her left hand where she knelt on all fours, grieving for her child. A cemetery worker moved to add some dirt to the hole when Lin raised a hand to stop him.

"No, I'll do it." Lin insisted. She stood, tossed in her flower, and slid one foot back, bent her knees, and slammed the grave shut over her daughter's casket with her black gloved hands like it were a door. She stood the tombstone up on end and shoved it into the dirt and stamped the girl's name into it with a carving of the lavender rose, and the Earth Kingdom emblem with the three swirls of the Air Nomads in its center. She turned on her heel and headed for the rock wall she erected not even an hour prior, kicking down a section just big enough for herself, walked through, and sealed it up again. She was the first to come and the first to leave the funeral.

Five days later, on a Friday morning, the Chief of Police gave her weekly report to the council with not an ounce of emotion on her face. She looked still as the stone she bent and cold as the metal she wore. "You wanted me to move on, so I moved on... from everything." Tenzin could hear her saying through her silent pause as she glanced his way midway through her weekly report to the council. She hadn't returned to the island. She stayed at the same miserable apartment she bought when she lost her mother and her sister, where she lived until Tenzin returned from his failed spiritual quest when she was twenty. Now she was thirty three and alone again.


	14. 160AG Could Not Be Both

**160AG**

"She was an earthbender," Tenzin whispered passing Lin at the next year's End of the 100 Year War Celebration. He didn't know why he said it. He hadn't spoken a single word to her to her since she left the day she destroyed the island, the day after Mina was taken from them.

She froze. "I know," she replied turning to him with clear, but glassy eyes glistening in the light of the chandeliers. "And she knew about the Red Monsoon's bloodbender long before the party, but we were both blind to the lapses in her normally cheerful personality and childish naivety." She sighed. "Don't be as stupid with your next daughter."

"My next daughter?" Tenzin asked.

"Pema's pregnant," Lin informed him. She tapped a barefoot on the ground as a reminder. Seismic Sense, right! How could he have forgotten? "Goodbye Tenzin." Lin said taking her leave. She no longer dressed up like an highborn Earth Kingdom Lady for galas like she used to when she was with him. She came alone and wore her uniform, barely arriving in time for the toast to their parents, and leaving immediately after she finished her first and only drink of the night quickly.

Lin Beifong became a recluse, hiding in her apartment on the days she didn't work twenty hour shifts. Rumors started again that she wasn't actually human but just a working machine Toph had her old friend Satoru create before she retired, specifically to take her place. And that this machine was incapable of feeling anything as she killed a triad member if necessary on a raid or interrogated a thug or thief or other criminal. She did her duty to the city, but no longer had anything to do with the Air Nomad Race or repopulating it. No, that became Pema's job while Lin slaved away beneath the statue of her mother.

Her grandparents wanted her to be a lady, her mother wanted her to be an earth and metalbending beast.

So she became both until assuming the roles of Tenzin's girlfriend and a Captain of the Police.

While he was gone, she evolved into the world's most hated sister and daughter, and Lieutenant in the Police.

When he returned, she became a wife/mother, and a Chief.

But she could not be both. Now she was just Chief. She had no mother of her own in the city, no half-sister, no significant other, and no baby to raise. She was truly alone and she would never risk letting anyone come so close again to whatever was left of her heart that loved too many people too hard only to be shattered into a million pieces.


	15. Epilogue: 175AG Regrets

Lin entered the hall of the Police Headquarters Building with her eyes downcast. It was the 74th anniversary of the end of the hundred year war and the one night she used to look forward to each year when she got to reunite with her old friends, then Princess Izumi of the Fire Nation and Master Kya of the Southern Water Tribe, Commander Bumi of the United Forces, and once long ago, Tenzin.

First, Izumi became Fire Lord. Then Kya left to travel the world as a healer. Bumi joined the United Republic's military. Tenzin became the last airbender with his sole duty being to repopulate and rebuild the air nation. And Lin, she became Chief of Police and they all drifted apart fulfilling their various duties as the children of war heroes, trying in vain to live up to the expectations of society while not completely losing sight of themselves.

It was the first time in nearly a decade that the old friends would all be reunited. Suyin's exile from Republic City had been officially terminated and she was finally old enough to join them in the festivities since last time she was in the city, she was underage; only sixteen years.

But tonight Lin did not feel like speaking to any of her old friends or her little sister even though they were the only people she ever spoke to at these events.

She was almost at the break room for a much needed cup of highly caffeinated tea when she heard a far too familiar voice calling her name.

"Lin, I was hoping to find you before tonight!" the matriarch of Zaofu called waving to her big sister from down the hall absolutely reveling in her newfound privilege to roam the great city once again for the first time in 32 years.

"Minseo, remind me to reprimand the guards for letting civilians beyond the lobby without reason," Lin ordered her secretary that she spotted at a table in the break room.

"Yes, chief," the secretary said scribbling the note down on a pad of paper before taking her own cup of tea and leaving with a bow so the Chief could have some privacy with her half-sister.

"Promise me you won't attend the celebratory ball tonight in your uniform!" Suyin begged.

"If I attend at all," Lin muttered folding her arms tersely.

"Lin, Izumi is coming! Zumzu AND Kya AND Bumi! We're ALL going, so you must too! Come on, it will be fun!" Suyin insisted with her hands pressed together, begging.

"I am already meeting Izumi tomorrow for lunch and Kya for dinner and then Bumi for drinks on Sunday." Lin replied, preferring to meet with her friends one-on-one in a place with a bit more privacy rather than in a crowded room filled to the rim with scheming politicians and thirsty journalists with flashy cameras and microphones trying to get some scandalous quote from somebody important to print the next morning.

"But it is not the same as when we're together!" Suyin pleaded grabbing onto Lin's wrist.

Lin yanked her hand away. "Yeah, its actually pleasant that way!"

Su looked up at her with hurt. "What has gotten into you lately, Lin?"

"What do you think? Oh wait, you don't think!" Lin snapped.

"I thought we were good again!" Suyin cried.

For an instant, Lin saw not her annoying little sister that drove her through the roof, but the fearful baby sister that she held in her arms when there was a storm outside or when their mother didn't come home at night.

Suyin's lip quivered and Lin realized what she said. "Oh Su, I'm sorry! This has nothing to do with you; I just- I'm not me right now, forgive me."

"But why?" Suyin asked sympathetically.

Lin closed her eyes and embraced her little sister. "Because of something that happened twenty-two years ago tonight at this same event," Lin replied quietly.

Suyin gasped as she remembered reading a letter from Tenzin about the loss of their baby to that bloodbender. "Lin, I am SO SORRY I forgot about her. I've been horribly insensitive. I should have remembered!"

"No, don't worry about it. You never knew her like I did. She was... Everything to me. But you're right. Everyone else will be there at the gala tonight, and I should too," Lin sighed. "If I do go, I promise I won't wear my uniform, for you." Lin said tucking a lock of her sister's asymmetrical hair behind her ear.

* * *

Lin went to the staging area. Every year, the master of ceremony announced her and her friends as the children of the war heroes that defeated Fire Lord Ozai and ended the century of Fire Nation imperialism. She hated it. It felt like a yearly reminder of why she had to stay Chief of Police, why she couldn't just run away and be a singing nomad like Kya or hide in a cave and live the rest of her days with the badgermoles. She had a legacy to uphold and people to appease.

She looked down at herself. She was wearing black, all black. She wore a black silk gown with black glass beads adorning the bodice and a black mesh layer over the black satin skirts that grazed the floor gracefully when she walked. In her greying hair, she wore a silver brooch set with dozens of white diamonds and black stones of obsidian to hold back the bulk of her side parted hair. Even the meteor bracelet on her left arm concealed by her sleeve was blacker than the bottom of the deepest, darkest trench in the sea.

* * *

"Lin Beifong, Chief of Police of Republic City, grand master of metal and earth bender and elder daughter of the legendary Toph Beifong, inventor of Metalbending and founder of Republic City's Metalbending Police!" the master of ceremonies announced enthusiastically into the microphone riling up the crowd into a frenzy of clapping and cheering for the esteemed lady.

Tenzin watched from the opposite wing as Lin took a place beside Izumi who had already been announced. The abundance of black fabric and ornaments made her already light skin look even paler than usual. She nearly resembled a ghost under the bright lights of the main ballroom in the City Hall of Republic City.  _At least she wasn't in her uniform,_  he thought positively. Her dress was modest, wrapping left over right, cinching tight at the waist and then flowing down to the ground in almost an ethereal way. The entire room fell silent when they noticed her fake smile give way to a certain sadness as soon as the spotlight shone right in her brilliant emerald green eyes. She looked like a fallen spirit turned dark by some tragedy, mourning her former place in the light.

...mourning...

Tenzin looked down at his own formal Air Nomad robes. He looked at the golden brooch that secured his red cape over his shoulders and the yellow robes underneath. He forgot when he dressed himself earlier. He forgot what they lost 22 years prior on that night.

"Why is the Chief wearing black?" someone whispered.

"This is a party not a funeral!" another exclaimed insensitively.

"She is not wearing her uniform at least," a third person in the front of the crowd shrugged casually.

Tenzin heard the crowd murmur as his name was called. He walked out feeling ashamed for what he did to his best friend. He felt ashamed for allowing himself to forget. He turned her way to see her gazing straight ahead of them at the crowd, her expression schooled back into the mask that disguised her true self from the public eye.

As soon as the master of ceremony concluded his speech, Lin fled.

"Lin! I am sorry!" Tenzin called chasing down the hall after her.

"It's too late for that, Tenzin!" she spat with acid in her voice, using Tenzin in place of his former nickname, Baldy.

"Can we please talk about this?" Tenzin begged.

"Just leave me alone! Go! Be a fucking leaf! Float far far away from the earth like you have every time before! Feel and think NOTHING and leave me to grieve alone in peace like every time before! Just forget everything!" Lin growled wiping her eyes.

"You know what, Lin? Maybe you're the Air Nomad!" Tenzin yelled grabbing her wrist forcefully pulling her back into his arms.

"You're crazy!" she replied beating against his chest with feeble fists and arms too weak to truly resist.

"For once just listen to me!" Tenzin yelled.

"I've listened before!" Lin insisted refusing to face him. "And I am DONE listening!

"No! You haven't. Who is trying to run away from this confrontation? Who flees from pain? Who bottles her emotions until they boil over and explode? Who puts on this stupid mask of indifference and tries to convince herself every day that that is what is necessary? I tried, Lin! I tried to keep you with me. I tried to try again, so many times.  _ **You**_ left  _ **me**_ , years ago," Tenzin said.

"If you claim to be the Earth in this relationship, you would have come after me then. You would have been my anchor in the storm. You wouldn't have given up when I walked away that day. You would have been more stubborn, more strong and persistent. If you loved me, you would have seen my pain and stopped me from leaving. You would have known what I wanted and  _needed_. You would have understood me. You wouldn't have been this passive... infuriating... empty-headed... Airhead that thought I could just forget her and have another baby and move on!" Lin cried giving him one last shove into the ground with all of her strength before fleeing the hall he had seen her run down so many times before.

* * *

_When they were children, Lin would tear up the marble and restore it just to say she destroyed city hall and show off her skill and precision when smoothing it over again. She used to hide behind the massive chalices that stood on pedestals in between suits of armor from throughout the ages. And she would laugh for hours after fleeing._

_She used to hide inside the walls, away from the prying eyes of politicians, foreign lords and ladies. She would drown out the mean things people said about her and her mother, and carry on with her day with a smile on her face._

_She used to arrest criminals, deal with death announcements and do house checks for foster children, and still be okay simply knowing that Tenzin would be waiting for her when she got home to the island at the end of the day._

_She used to sing while she cooked, dance in the rain, join Bumi and Kya in a couple of pranks, participate in their drinking games, meditate and fast with Tenzin on some days... she used to enjoy life.  
_

_Now, she just locked herself away with nothing to look forward to, her strength depleted by the chore of existing without their baby.  
_

* * *

"Hey Tenzin, where's the Chief?" Korra asked, jabbing Tenzin in the arm with her elbow playfully with Asami linked onto her other arm.

"She's—I have to go-" Tenzin said taking his leave to find his wife and children. "Pema, I'll be back later to get you guys at the end…" Tenzin said kissing his wife on the head.

"Wait, sorry? You're leaving? Why?"

"It's complicated." Tenzin replied in a distracted hurry. He called for Oogi and flew to the old Republic City whose downtown had been completely destroyed by Kuvira's spirit weapon just a year prior. He flew to the cemetery where he found a column of earth a hundred feet high where his daughters grave used to be. He could hear the Chief, sniffling inside of the earth. He could hear her heart beating, even if he wasn't an earth bender. He knew her. She stopped sniffling. She must have picked up on his presence through the ground. With a loud thud and a huge cloud of dust, the column disappeared. He saw her kneeling there before the stone, three incense burning in a little pot of ash, fresh lavender roses in a small vase next to a photograph she kept of the girl in her pocket ever since… since the day she… Tenzin fell by her side and enveloped the Chief of Police in her arms.

"I am so sorry," he said through sobs. "I am so sorry I wasn't there when you needed me most." he said.

"Tenzin!" Pema called sliding off of Jinora's bison Pepper.

"Daddy! We were worried so we followed!" Ikki called running over with Jinora, Meelo, and Rohan. The children froze when they saw to where they had followed their father, a cemetery.

"Dad?" Meelo asked.

"Sh!" Jinora held her and Meelo back when they saw Lin in his arms, sobbing quietly.

"Cry, it is okay. Nobody will be angry with you for feeling. You are not a machine, Lin. You are only human. Just don't forget to breathe," Tenzin said squeezing her, rubbing her arm gently. She had changed out of her ball gown and was wearing a simple black wrap with a blue ribbon around her waist.

"It's not fair," she croaked looking down at the photograph of the happy little girl they once called their own.

"Life isn't fair," Tenzin replied resting his chin in her hair. "And I am so sorry."

There was no room for jealousy, Pema realized as she picked up Rohan to keep him from interrupting.

Mina of Republic City  
146AG-153AG Aged 7  
Daughter of Master Airbender, Tenzin  
Daughter of Master Lin Beifong, Chief of Police of Republic City  
Granddaughter of Avatar Aang  
Granddaughter of Master Katara of the Southern Water Tribe  
Granddaughter of the First Metalbending Master, Toph Beifong  
Niece to Master Kya of the Southern Water Tribe  
Niece to Commander Bumi of the United Forces  
Niece to Master Suyin Beifong, Matriarch of Zaofu  
Cousin to Baatar Jr. of Zaofu  
Cousin to Huan of Zaofu  
Cousin to Opal of Zaofu

Tenzin knew Lin heard the children there, and could feel them standing on the ground nearby, but she didn't move or acknowledge them. She just cried while Tenzin held onto her with all that had.

Lin removed herself from Tenzin's arms and knelt before her daughter's grave again. "Mina, you asked once if you would ever have to end a war. No, I suppose not, but not for the reasons, we originally intended. I'm sorry I could not do more to protect you from the injustice of the world, forgive me." Lin gripped her hands and feet into the earth. The ground cracked beneath them. Tenzin moved over and draped a hand over her small waist. She looked so fragile, in a gown.

"Aunt Lin," Jinora said kneeling beside the mourning woman.

Lin turned to her with pain-filled emerald eyes.

"May I light an incense for her?" Jinora asked. "She was my half sister, like Su is to you." Jinora said reaching into the tub that Lin brought with her to the cemetery.

The young airbending master moved slowly. Lin collapsed in Tenzin's arms again. He pulled her away so Jinora could take her place before the grave.

"Mina, I didn't ever know you, but I know Aunt Lin, and knowing her, you would have been a great big sister." Jinora bowed thrice and place the incense into the little tray of ash at the base of the girl's tombstone. She then moved aside for Ikki and Meelo to follow her lead.

Lin was shaking. She couldn't speak as she watched Tenzin's younger children show her deceased child such kindness. Tenzin continued to hold her in his arms and rub her arms.

"I lied, that day in the council chamber," Lin whispered. "I can never move on."

Jinora scooted over and leaned her head into Lin's lap.

"Jinora, do not cry for me, I don't need your pity." Lin said with her hand on the fourteen-year-old's head.

"I am not crying for you, Aunt Lin. I am crying for the sister I never knew."

"But how can you-"

"I've seen the way you look at Su. You pretend to hate her, but in reality, you love her unconditionally. You worry for her well being because she is your sister. She is family. You are family and we love you too!" Jinora replied. Lin bent down and hugged the wise young master. She stood.

"I should go," Lin announced.

"Where are you going?" Tenzin asked.

"Home," Lin took a deep breath and reassumed the same stoic expression she wore for over two decades. She looked down at Tenzin and his four children and his young wife and the cracks she made in the ground.

"And you kids, never speak of this again," Lin growled. "I have a reputation to uphold." she sighed. "It is all I have left that is my own." She turned on her heel and nearly ran out of the cemetery to find a place to cry alone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N  
> I originally ended the story with the last chapter, but then had a dream/nightmare where Lin was just sobbing at Mina's grave and Tenzin was holding her there (and Pema ruined everything) and wrote a bit, but was incredibly indecisive about it. Now, some five month and six days later, I think, I have finally finished it (after experimenting with a more tear-jerking version, and a sci-fi version where Lin meditates into the spirit world to find Mina has been living with Uncle Iroh and can be revived by bringing her body into the spirit world through the new portal).
> 
> Anyways, I have finally settled on this version of the epilogue. I debated ending it just after the italic section, but wanted to write Jinora being the sweetie that she is, so I finished it where it is. I hope you have a nice Sunday, and keep shipping Linzin. *uwu*
> 
> *Also, this is a standalone Linzin Fic unrelated to everything else I have written*

**Author's Note:**

> As always, all feed back is EXTREMELY appreciated so hmu in those comments!!!


End file.
